


Nothing Special

by Giraffe23



Category: Big Bang (Band), K-pop, Winner (Band), iKON (Korea Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Anger, Anxiety Attacks, Blood and Violence, Dark, Demisexuality, Dom/sub Undertones, Drinking, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Forced Prostitution, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, Getting Together, Healing Sex, Heavy Angst, Hiding, Hurt/Comfort, Idols, Internal Conflict, It's Hard and Nobody Understands, Knowing Bros/Ask Us Anything, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mind Manipulation, Multiple Orgasms, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Not Beta Read, OT7, Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Panic, Polyamory, Protective Jiwon, Protectiveness, Rape/Non-con Elements, Scenting, Self empowerment, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Sex Toys, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Content, Sexual Slavery, Slow Burn, Slurs, Smut, Social Anxiety, Social Justice, Victim Blaming, Weekly Idol - Freeform, Werewolf Mates, bottom hanbin, doubleb - Freeform, hanbin-centric, hurt hanbin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2020-01-05 20:06:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 22
Words: 109,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18373154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Giraffe23/pseuds/Giraffe23
Summary: Being a high profile Beta in a world where Betas are at best ignored and at worse abused is by no means easy for Hanbin but at least he has his music. The apparently progressive company he's in may only use him as a tool too boost sales and build controversy around the group but Hanbin knows he had something to offer.Everything would be some much easier if the hate only came from afar but as the tensions in his own pack lead to growing problems Hanbin can't help but consider if it all worth it. Just when everything starts to get too much the sudden change in a certain Alpha's behaviour only seems to make everything worse, or does it?





	1. It is how it is

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Perfect](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17597198) by [MVgetanAttitude](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MVgetanAttitude/pseuds/MVgetanAttitude). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm giving a/b/o a go. The characteristics for each of the sub-genders is slightly different to the traditional omegaverse style but I hope you still enjoy it.  
> Please leave any comments or Kudos. I really appreciate the feedback.  
> I hope you enjoy the first chapter xxx
> 
> Alpha:  
> Alphas are the leaders in pack life and often jobs as well. They are physically powerful and very dominant. Alphas have strong scents and pheromones which can influence the other genders.  
> They go through a rut cycle four times a year (Seasonal.) from sexual maturity.
> 
> Omega:  
> Omegas are often very intelligent and very strong. They have to defend themselves and can't be seen as weak because this shows they might not be able to care for any pups properly.  
> They are valued on their fertility and the scent of an Omega can display how fertile they are.  
> Omegas can influence other genders using their pheromones and have the power to break free of Alpha control.  
> They have heats but only when it is triggered by a compatible Alpha. The heat is just a period of intense arouse which is intended to lead to bonding and there is slick production. Males can't become pregnant because polygamous packs often have females present to have pups. There is no set position for Alphas and Omegas, they just have sex.
> 
> Beta:  
> Physically weak with weak scents and no obvious pheromone control but they can influence pack members emotions through touch and scent- mostly a calming effect.  
> An occurrence which is due to mutations before birth and leads to them being less fertile.  
> Betas go through a period called a season which is like a suppressed heat or rut. They become agitated and get cramps. If there is a compatible mate nearby during the season the Betas mating cycle will change to be complimentary to the mate

Hanbin groaned as he rubbed his bruised knee and dared to glance up at the angry staff member above him.

“Watch where you’re going Beta.” The woman hissed before storming away from him.

Hanbin swallowed away the hurt and looked around him at the spilt drink he had been carrying. His jeans and oversized jumper were all stained by the liquid and Hanbin sighed knowing he would have to change before heading to the stage for the fan sign event.

Slowly heaving himself off the floor he couldn’t help but notice the bustling members of staff that avoided him with glares and muttered insults.

Sometimes Hanbin regretted joining YG. While it had been the only company to even consider accepting a Beta like him into the trainee program it certainly hadn’t been easy. Just because YG was hailed as a progressive company didn’t mean the everyday workers agreed with their CEO.

Hanbin knew very well that he was simply a marketing ploy; after all the first Beta leader of a successful boy group was a pretty big publicity draw. It rankled him a little to know that his position wasn’t wholly down to his talent and dedication but he had proven himself enough times over the years to know people begrudgingly respected him as an artist.

Bending down to pick up the spilled travel cup revived the pain in his body; the rough treatment from one of the cleaning staff he had run into as he left his studio late last night making itself known. Hanbin winced and straightened up as the deep throbbing pain spread through his battered torso.

It couldn’t be helped now; he wouldn’t have the time to get painkillers and change before he was needed on the stage. Making up his mind Hanbin headed to the dressing room and bowed deeply to the stylist Noonas that were scattered around the room.

“Unbelievable but I guess we can’t expect better from a Beta.” His stylist huffed as she moved to grab his spare clothes.

Hanbin quickly stripped off and redressed. He folded the soiled clothes carefully and moved to place them on the table in the room but the disgusted expressions of the women present stopped him. Biting his lip Hanbin turned and placed the pile neatly by his own clothes bag on the floor.

“Thank you Stylist-nim. I’m really sorry for messing up the clothes you gave me.” Hanbin bowed deeply.

“Just get out of my sight.” The woman spat and cuffed Hanbin on the back of his head.

Hanbin bowed again before scurrying out of the room and praying that nothing else would go wrong until he reached his seat. As he was running through the hallway he spotted YunHyeong rounding the corner at the end of the corridor.

His stomach dropped. If they had sent one of the other members to find him he was going into be in big trouble when they returned to the company. Hanbin groaned at the thought of another lecture but forced a smile as his Hyung approached.

“Hi Hyung. I’m just on my way. Sorry you were sent to come find me.”

“That’s alright Hanbin-a. Are you okay?” YunHyeong asked with a slight frown.

“Yeah I’m fine. I spilled my drink and had to change. Let’s go before it gets too late.”

Hanbin moved to walk past YunHyeong and towards the stage when a large hand caught his wrist gently and stopped him. Hanbin took a deep breath before turning back towards the other boy.

“Did you spill it or did someone help you?” YunHyeong said slowly and searched Hanbin’s face.

“It was my fault. Let’s go.” Hanbin replied quickly and tugged at the restraining hand.

“Hanbin.” YunHyeong didn’t budge.

Hanbin glanced longingly down the corridor to where the stage was. He didn’t want to deal with this right now. His lower body hurt and the alpha in front of him was far too observant and caring for his own good.

“It was an accident… maybe?” Hanbin said eventually.

YunHyeong sighed deeply and reached out to tilt Hanbin’s face up to meet his own gaze.

“Who?”

“No one in particular Hyung. Really. I can deal with it.”

“Hanbin-”

“Please let’s just go.” Hanbin pleaded.

A dark look of anger passed over YunHyeong’s face for a split second before he nodded and the pair walked towards the stage.

The rest of iKON were collected in the wing of the stage. When they noticed the other boys presence Hanbin looked down at his feet to avoid the disapproving looks he would no doubt be getting from them all.

YunHyeong placed a hand on the small of his back to steer him forward when his steps faltered. Hanbin tensed up at the touch and Hanbin gulped at the small growl YunHyeong released. No matter how many times YunHyeong explained he didn’t care about Hanbin’s secondary gender the fear of an angry Alpha wouldn’t leave him.

Hanbin could remember the first time he had met YunHyeong when he was much younger. The constant teasing from the other trainee’s had been wearing on Hanbin so when the strong scent of a very dominant and older Alpha reached him Hanbin had panicked.

The older boy had sat with him through the terror and told him about his own pack where Beta’s were respected for their ability to calm down pack members and care for the pups. The words had sounded like a fairy tale to Hanbin but he didn’t have the bravery to accuse the other of lying.

It was only in the summer after Win when he had finally met YunHyeong’s birth pack that he had fully believed the words. Hanbin had grown up with just his parents as they had left their old pack when he was born for fear of how he would be treated and he had never experienced the atmosphere of a loving pack before.

Betas were considered to be sickly and useless in a world where strength was the only way to gain respect. Traditionally all of the genders had had their own positions and talents to give to a successful pack but as tribal living fell out of favour for metropolitan living many traditional values were discarded. 

The final nail in the coffin for public opinion of Betas came after a scientific study had shown Betas were the result of several mutations that occurred during the gestation period. It meant Betas were physically weaker than the other genders and less fertile. Many Beta children were abandoned at birth and families would often hide Beta offspring for fear it would stop their other children mating.

Over the years the role of the Beta had changed from the pack diplomat to a glorified sex slave; if they were lucky they may be kept as a cleaner or child minder for the mated pairs in their pack. Hanbin’s pack had been a conservative pack and the Betas born there were kept in horrific conditions and only allowed to serve the Alphas or Omegas that called on them.

Hanbin was endlessly grateful to his parents for leaving the pack behind for him. The life he had now was a small mercy against what some Betas had to go through. It made him guilty for how badly he was coping with everything that happened but Hanbin assumed it was just his weakness that caused him to be so pitiful.

Hanbin was pulled out of his thoughts by Jiwon’s rough hands shoving him backwards by the shoulders. He let himself be manhandled and kept his gaze lowered as he remembered the last time he had fought back against Jiwon when he was angry.

“You better behave properly out there Beta. We don’t need any bad press because you can’t handle yourself.” The Alpha spat into his face.

“I know how to do my job.” Hanbin shot back.

Jiwon slammed his hand next to Hanbin’s head and made him jump. Jiwon was growling low in his throat at the backchat and Hanbin regretted agitating the other.

“You don’t deserve this job. You belong on your hands and knees doing what you are fucking told.” The venom in Jiwon’s voice stabbed into Hanbin’s chest but he fought hard to keep the expression off of his face.

“iKon wouldn’t be around without me and you know it. So back off.” Hanbin dared to meet Jiwon furious gaze.

“You little-”

“He said back off.” YunHyeong cut in and he pushed Jiwon away from Hanbin.

“Then he should make me himself. A prissy little Beta won’t get anywhere unless he can stand up for himself.”

“If you’re too stupid to remember the last time Bin gave you a black eye then I don’t think anything I have to say will get through your thick skull either.” YunHyeong stepped forward menacingly.

“Whatever I’m not going to waste my time on a Beta slut and a whipped Alpha baby.”

Jiwon gave Hanbin one last murderous look before he stalked off the join Junhoe and Jinhwan, who was frowning in their direction. Hanbin watched his two Hyungs exchange some heated words before Jiwon stormed off again to stand on his own at the edge of the stage.

YunHyeong placed a careful hand on Hanbin’s shoulder and he resisted the urge to shrug the weight off.

“If he gives you anymore trouble you find me, you hear?”

“I can take care of myself.” Hanbin replied sullenly.

“I know you can. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met but we’re a pack and packs look out for each other.” YunHyeong smiled encouragingly and squeezed his hand lightly.

“I’ll find you.” Hanbin said eventually and sent a small smile to his Hyung who returned in brightly.

“Good now let’s get up there and meet our iKONICs.” YunHyeong patted his shoulder once before moving to tease Chanwoo and DongHyuk.

Hanbin watched him walk away with a deep sigh and nearly cursed when he spotted a fuming Jinhwan moving to take his place.

“Hyung I-” Hanbin began pre-emptively.

“Save it, I don’t care. Why did you have to go and piss him off right before a signing?”

“I didn’t mean to Hyung.”

“You never mean to but here we are.” Jinhwan’s voice was like ice.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologise to me Bin. I worry about you. One day he might go too far and then where will that leave you?”

Hanbin gulped down the shame of being scolded by his Hyung in public and tried to ignore the disapproving glares of the stage managers.

“I really didn’t mean to this time.”

“You have to remember that Jiwon doesn’t see these things the same way. He grew up in the US and the views they have on Betas are... well… it’s disgusting quite frankly but it’s all that he knows.”

“I know Hyung and I’ve tried but…”

“Just try and stay out of his way.” Jinhwan shook his head and moved back to stand with the others.

Hanbin bit back the snappy remark on the tip of his tongue as he watched the older boy walk away. As an Omega Hanbin knew that Jinhwan had to prove himself every day in much the same way he did. While Alphas had the gift of muscle and strong pheromones to assert their dominance Omegas had to prove they were feisty and strong enough to keep up with and challenge the Alphas around them.

Jinhwan had long been heralded as being an ideal Omega throughout the industry as his temper was infamous. The smaller man also had an extremely fertile scent which coupled with his amazing looks made him the centre of attention in any room he entered.

Hanbin didn’t envy his Hyung in the slightest. While the attention he received mostly wasn’t pleasant he was often just ignored completely. Jinhwan had to be on the alert at all times to defend himself and show Alphas that he could match them toe to toe.

Everyone had expected Jinhwan and Jiwon to mate almost as soon as the group was confirmed and they could settle into the pack bonds without fear of separation. However, the pair had never shown any interest in each other except the loyal friendship the entire group had. Jinhwan’s heat had never been triggered by Jiwon’s rut and it was just assumed they weren’t compatible with each other.

Hanbin scrubbed a hand over his tired face and finally forced his feet to move forward and join the rest of the group. Putting as much distance between himself and Jiwon as possible he stood next to DongHyuk.

The two youngest boys were trying to peak out at the gathered fans in the auditorium and pushing each other lightly. Hanbin watched them with a fond smile for a few moments while he waited. 

Chanwoo gave DongHyuk a surprisingly strong shove and the boy stumbled back into Hanbin’s chest. Hanbin caught the younger boy and helped to balance him back on his feet again. DongHyuk inhaled deeply and snuggled back into Hanbin’s arms for a moment before his body went rigid and he pulled away.

“Don’t touch me.” DongHyuk bit out and puffed out his chest.

“I’m sorry.” Hanbin held his hands up in surrender and took a step back.

“I’m not weak like you. I don’t need your help.”

Hanbin tightened his jaw at the harsh words and tried to tell himself to calm down. It really would piss off the Noonas if he had to go back now to have his makeup touched up from crying.

“I know.” Hanbin whispered as DongHyuk turned back to Chanwoo.

Hanbin was saved from make even more of a mess of the day by the stage manager ushering them on stage. The fans screamed with excitement and several names were chanted as the boys walked on stage and bowed.

After the group introduction Hanbin gripped the microphone in his hand and tried to ignore the way it went dead silent as he began to speak. There were no calls of ‘Oppa’ or whoops of joy when he finished but a quiet mumble of distaste and even a few boos filled the hall. The atmosphere returned to normal levels as the other members gave their own introductions and Hanbin smiled for the appreciation of his members.

Even if he was booed off the stage every single time, being at these events to see the love the fans had for the other members and for the music he created left a warm feeling in his chest. It was enough.

When all seven of them had finished the greetings they moved to sit down at the long table. Hanbin eyed the position of the chairs and took in how far away his was from the rest of the group but he sat down anyway. There weren’t going to be many people sitting in front of him in any case.

As Jiwon walked behind him to reach his seat he placed a steely hand on the nape of Hanbin’s neck and tightened it painfully. Jiwon leaned down and tightened the grip even more.

“Don’t do anything stupid. Just sit there and shut up.”

Hanbin was shoved forwards as Jiwon released his neck and continued to his seat. Junhoe, who had been waiting behind Jiwon, met Hanbin’s gaze and sneered before kicking the chair forward to pass behind.

Hanbin wheezed in a breath where the table had been shoved in painfully and waited for everyone to go back to ignoring him before he slowly eased his chair away from the table. That was going to bruise like hell tomorrow.

Now that he was sitting in the uncomfortable chair Hanbin really regretted not taking a painkiller when he had the chance. The twinge in his side was back again and Hanbin knew it was already going to be a really long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of my fic, this one is my baby and I'm pretty proud of it so I hope you enjoy.  
> And don't be afraid to add me on twitter @Giraffaholic1 I would love to hear from you and chat.


	2. Some good along with the bad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter to this really dark story. I don't think I realised how extreme this was while I was writing the plan but oh well.  
> Please leave any comments or kudos that you would like to. It really makes my day to hear what you guys think of the story.  
> I hope you enjoy xxx

The morning past in much the way Hanbin had been expecting. The fans mostly ignored him at the start of the table and started with YunHyeong who was seated next to him. A few overzealous fans had even spat in his direction but after the first few Hanbin had stopped even looking up; all he would see was the hateful eyes of some ignorant Alpha or Omega anyway.

By the time lunch time had rolled around YunHyeong had even stopped making a fuss at the poor treatment Hanbin received. Just wordlessly handing him paper tissues or laying a reassuring hand on his thigh under the table.

The large number of fans present at the event meant the group decided to stay at the table through lunch. Hanbin had easily agreed to JinHwan’s idea even though he knew it meant he would go hungry. The managers had brought the prepared buffet to the others members to pick at between fans but Hanbin’s plate had been conveniently forgotten somewhere.

Hanbin leaned back in his chair and stretched out his neck. Maybe there was a bright side to this; he needed to lose a few pounds anyway. The fans had started commenting on the group's Instagram that he was letting himself go. There was already enough to criticize about him without adding his looks to it as well.

Lost in his musings about what he might be able to order once they returned to the dorms Hanbin didn’t notice a burly Alpha approaching him until the large shadow covered him. Hanbin looked up with a smile and automatically reached for an album to sign.

“Hi there. Thank you for coming to support us today. What’s your name?” Hanbin asked politely.

“I’ll always make the effort for a pretty thing like you.” The Alpha smiled darkly and crowded into Hanbin’s space.

“Ummm… thank you. What message would you like?” Hanbin tried to keep his fear hidden as the large man reached his hand over the table to stroke Hanbin’s poised hand.

“How about your number so I can find you after this and give us both what we want, huh?”

“I can’t give out that information. If you want the album signed for someone in particular I can do that.” Hanbin tugged his hand back from the other man’s and shrunk into his chair.

“It’s cute that you play hard to get but we both know you’re gagging to spread your legs for me.”

“Tell me the name for the album or please leave.” Hanbin said firmly and looked over at YunHyeong pleading with him to intervene but the other boy was facing the other way taking a group selfie with the others.

“That’s not the way you speak to an Alpha darling. No worries though I’ll find you later anyway. You’re scent is calling to me.”

Before Hanbin could react the Alpha leaned across the table and licked a stripe up Hanbin’s face. Bile rose in Hanbin’s throat at the touch but he forced it down. He smiled and thanked the man for coming as politely as he could before rubbing violently at his cheek. Finally satisfied that the man’s salvia was gone and the scent on his face wasn’t obvious Hanbin collapsed back into his chair.

Letting his head loll to the side in exhaustion Hanbin met Jiwon’s disgusted gazed and tensed up again.

“Couldn’t even stop yourself for a couple hours.”

Hanbin didn’t have the energy to fight with Jiwon about what had happened besides it wouldn’t make any difference to the Alpha. Better to hope it just gets forgotten than risk a possible fight in front of the fans. Hanbin sighed and lowered his gaze in submission to the Alpha before turning back to the table.

Jiwon made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat and shoved past Hanbin to return to his seat at the table. Several Omegas screamed from the line waiting and one rushed forward to talk and flirt with the Alpha. Hanbin watched out of the corner of his eye but quickly tore his gaze away when Jiwon looked over in his direction; anger flaring in his gaze when they met eyes.

A few more unremarkable hours passed and Hanbin slowly began to feel more like himself as time passed. The Alpha from earlier merely another instance to be forgotten and Hanbin was distracting himself with the smoothie that YunHyeong had ordered on his behalf.

Hanbin was just finishing off and pushing the dregs of the drink around with his straw when a young girl stood in front of him with a nervous smile. Hanbin immediately snapped to attention with a guilty grin at being caught.

“Hello miss, thank you for coming out to support us. I hope you’ve had a good day so far. What’s your name?”

“EunAe. It’s amazing to meet you. I can’t believe it.” The girl gushed.

“Well EunAe the pleasure is all mine. Do you want to sit?” Hanbin gestured the chair in front of him and EunAe flushed high on her cheek bones.

“I want to thank you.” EunAe said once she as settled. “Seeing you acting as such a good leader and being so strong in everything you do, so determined, it gave me the strength to stay in school. I’ve just been accepted to my dream university and I couldn’t have done that if you hadn’t inspired me.”

Hanbin stopped writing on the album cover and looked up at the girl with his mouth open in shock. He blinked rapidly as he tried to absorb everything she had said.

“You’re going to university?”

“Yes I want to study engineering and I just got the grades I needed. I was top of my class.”

Hanbin felt his eyes widen even further in shock and a lump formed in his throat. He was such a hypocrite to sit there and let EunAe express her gratitude to him. Hanbin hadn’t done anything; his actions weren’t those of a Beta rights activist. He was barely staying afloat and the lightly healed bruises that littered his body were testament to that.

“Well then it isn’t you that should be inspired by me; what you’re doing is amazing. I should be the one thanking you.”

“Not at all.” EunAe protested. “Without you I would have dropped out of school and maybe even run away from my pack. Seeing you fighting all your issues head on gave me the ability to stand up for myself.”

“You give me too much credit.” Hanbin looked down to hide the tears forming in his eyes.

“Don’t say that. I’m part of a Beta support group online and everyone takes great inspiration from you.” EunAe said earnestly and reached her hand across the table.

Hanbin tensed at the last minute as the hand approached him but EunAe seemed to notice and changed the angle of her hand to land beside his own. Hanbin’s eyes darted between her concerned face and her relaxed hand laying on the table.

“It’s too much. I don’t deserve such praise.”

“You’re wrong this time Oppa. Just by being yourself and doing so well in the music industry you are inspiring so many Beta kids to stand up for themselves and follow their dreams.”

Hanbin let his head fall into his hands and he heaved in a shuddering breath.

“You are doing so much better than me EunAe. I can barely…” Hanbin looked over his shoulder towards where his pack were happily interacting with other fans.

EunAe followed his gaze and her gaze hardened as it landed on the Alphas seated there. Hanbin felt as if he was in another world as the tiny Beta girl in front of him stared down his pack Alpha.

“I don’t think that’s true. I may have done more things to help myself and stop things I don’t like but I only have to deal with personal trouble. You willing put yourself on display for the world and had the courage to stay there. I’m sure the criticism you receive is more than a scolding phone call from your parents like I get.” EunAe said with a rueful smile.

“You might just be right about that.” Hanbin chuckled.

“I wish I could make everything go away for you Oppa but the world is just too resistant to change. So all I can offer is my support.”

“That is more than enough EunAe. Knowing you are following your dreams and doing well is enough to keep me going.” Hanbin let his little finger make the lightest contact with EunAe’s. The two Betas flushed and smiled shyly at each other for a few moments.

“I’m glad.” EunAe accepted the album Hanbin handed her and bowed as she made her way off the stage.

Hanbin watched her make her way through the crowd until she disappeared from view but the warm feeling in his chest remained for the rest of the day. It had bolstered him through the insults thrown his way and the snide comments Jiwon made in the van back to the dorm. He had even ignored Junhoe’s shoulder check in the hallway and the muttered disgust Chanwoo had sent his way as they climbed the stairs.

Sitting in the kitchen that night while YunHyeong pottered around on a recipe Hanbin felt the most at ease he had in a long time. EunAe’s words had awoken the passion he had for life and the hunger for success that had felt so far away as of late.

“What are you sighing about?” YunHyeong asked at last as he stood at the sink washing up.

“Nothing.” Hanbin muttered quietly.

“Bin? Don’t make me ask again.” 

“Fine.” Hanbin huffed but smiled at the elder’s teasing. “I was just thinking about this Beta girl that met me at the event today.”

“Oh? I must have missed her. What did she say?” YunHyeong turned to face him with a raised eyebrow.

“That I’d inspired her to go to university and follow her dreams. Apparently there are online support groups for Betas.” Hanbin announced proudly.

“No kidding? That’s crazy.” YunHyeong smiled and clapped Hanbin on the shoulder.

“Yeah it’s cool.” Hanbin replied sullenly.

“You don’t sound like that was what you wanted to say at all.” YunHyeong sat down opposite him and searched his face.

“It’s just… It’s just that I feel like I’ve let them down. I’m not some hero or Beta rights campaigner that’s going to change the world. I don’t do anything other than churn out mediocre music. The others barely tolerate my presence and they definitely don’t respect me as a leader.”

“It’s not always about the big things.” YunHyeong nodded sagely. “Just existing. Being the first Beta leader in Kpop; that’s a huge thing if you ask me.”

“Maybe…”

“Trust me. Plus the others aren’t as bad as you think. Things will change, just wait and see.”

Hanbin shook his head at YunHyeong’s naivety but didn’t say anything. He knew that his Hyung cared deeply for the others, they were a pack after all, and he wanted to see the good in them. It was one of the reasons Hanbin wished it was any of the others but YunHyeong that was the one to stand by his side; he couldn’t bear his expression every time he realised what his members were capable of.

“Then I’m glad I could be a part of the change. It can’t come soon enough.” Hanbin said quietly.

“Here. Here.” YunHyeong agreed.

“The things I read online these days are breaking my heart. How can people treat others in such ways on the basis of a few different genes? It’s so unfair.”

“Things will get better Hanbin.” YunHyeong told him firmly.

“It doesn’t feel like it will Hyung.”

“It will but until then I will walk by your side and protect you okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good man. Now I’m going to shower; you should head to bed.” YunHyeong stood and moved towards the door.

“I will. Goodnight Hyung.” Hanbin called.

“Night Bin.” YunHyeong yelled over his shoulder and disappeared through the door.

Hanbin sighed again and decided to get a glass of water before he headed to his own room for the night. He had his head in the glassware cabinet hunting for a clean cup when the kitchen door slamming made him shoot upwards.

“You really need to learn when to shut up.” Junhoe snarled.

Hanbin whirled around and gulped as he met the furious gaze of the young Alpha. Junhoe was a strong believer in order through violence and punishment, it was how he had been raise, and he had no trouble enforcing it. Hanbin was often reminded of his place in the pack hierarchy by Junhoe’s fists when the other finally snapped.

The members had all grudgingly accepted him as the leader of iKON since his decisions were always solidly reasoned and the best option. No one could deny his talent as a producer or choreographer despite the accusations of plagiarism over the years and he had absolute authority in that area but he was punished for that liberty when it came to the pack dynamics.

Back in the dorms and away from work Hanbin was less than the dirt on the others shoes. He was useless to a childless pack that could have their pick of any sexual partners they wanted; there was no need of a lowly Beta. He did help the alphas through their seasonal ruts but it was only for the convenience of having easy access. 

Junhoe advanced on Hanbin menacingly and Hanbin backed up until his back hit the far wall of the kitchen.

“Apologise.”

“I’m sorry.” Hanbin’s voice caught in his throat at the threatening pheromones in the room.

“Louder.”

“I’m sorry.” Hanbin repeated.

“Look at me.” Junhoe said with a deadly calm that sent a cold sweat down Hanbin’s spine.

No sooner had Hanbin raised his when Junhoe’s fist slammed into the side of his face. Pain exploded along his cheek and jaw as his vision blacked out. As his vision returned Hanbin looked at Junhoe’s shoes right next to his head on the floor and hoped that he wasn’t in the mood to kick him today.

“Pathetic.” Junhoe muttered spitefully. “You should be grateful we keep you around when you go mouthing off like that.”

Junhoe pressed his foot to Hanbin’s stinging cheek and forced his face flat against the floor. Hanbin groaned at the pressure and pain it reignited along his cheek.

“Hyung may be too weak to punish you but I’m not. Don’t let me catch you so much as thinking like this again or I’ll punish you properly. Are we clear?”

“Yes Alpha.” Hanbin forced out.

“Good.” Junhoe pushed down with his foot before lifting off and storming out of the kitchen.

Hanbin lay on the floor for a while to catch his breath before pulling himself up to lean back against the wall. Finally opening his eyes when his head stopped spinning he spotted Jiwon leaning against the door frame. The spike of fear that passed through he wasn’t enough to rouse Hanbin from his position so he listlessly looked over at the Alpha. He couldn’t even bring himself to be surprised. He had learned a long time ago that this amount of violence from Junhoe usually meant Jiwon was in the vicinity and the younger Alpha was posturing. Feeling Hanbin’s eyes on him Jiwon moved closer and squatted down.

“It makes me sick to see such a pathetic creature like you pretending to have any power. You’re a disgrace.”

Hanbin flinched as Jiwon’s hand came up to touch his face. Jiwon’s fingers squeezed cruelly into his cheek and pulled his face forward.

“Don’t worry. I think you’ve learnt your lesson for today.”

Jiwon laughed and left the kitchen without a backwards glance. Hanbin watched the door on high alert in case the Alpha changed his mind and returned. After finally deciding he wasn’t coming back Hanbin hauled himself to his feet.

He needed to get away from them; out of the dorm and away from the scents of pack. The mixture of scents that were meant to mean home and comfort but only brought him pain.

Glancing at his phone to check the time Hanbin decided it wasn’t too late to head to the studio and work on some of his stuff. After all the music was the one thing no one could take away from him. Slipping into the living room to grab his coat and shoes he looked back into the silent dorm once more before creeping out the door and into the night.


	3. A helping hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is having a good weekend (for those that celebrate) or just enjoying the chance to eat as much chocolate as they want!  
> Please leave any comments or kudos that you want to. I really appreciate it so let me know what you think.  
> I hoe you enjoy the chapter xxx

Hanbin was woken up from his light doze by the door to his studio opening. Bolting upright Hanbin raised his hands in preparation to ward off any hits directed his way but once he noticed Jiyong Hyung poking his head through the door cheekily he relaxed.

“Hyung? What are you doing here?” Hanbin asked as he worked the stiffness out of his neck.

“I saw you come in last night and didn’t think you left.” Jiyong came fully into the room and joined Hanbin on the sofa.

“Well you guessed right. Here I am.”

“Here you are, despite my repeated scolding.”

“I had stuff to work on.” Hanbin dismissed lightly.

“I’m sure the large bruise on your face had nothing to do with it then?” Jiyong hummed and reached out to gently examine the sore spot.

Hanbin backed away from his touch with a hiss and lowered his gaze when Jiyong frowned. His Hyung simply moved closer so they were pressed against each other, Jiyong’s gaze focused on his face, ignoring Hanbin’s whine of protest.

“You told me you would say something if it got worse.” Jiyong said eventually.

“I did.” Hanbin agreed reluctantly.

“So? Why didn’t you? If this is some kind of twisted loyalty to them just because they’re your pack you can forget about it. They don’t deserve it.”

“You said if things got worse. They’re just the same Hyung. I’m doing fine.” Hanbin reassured the older boy and finally pulled away from Jiyong’s gentle fingers.

“That isn’t what I meant and you know it. Why are you so damn stubborn?”

Hanbin shrugged and got up. He stretched which a satisfactory groan and moved to check his computer that had turned off after he fell asleep. Plopping down in the seat and wiggling the mouse Hanbin smothered a yawn. He was so tired despite having just woken up.

After triple checking his folders were all organised properly and saving Hanbin turned off the monitor and was surprised to find Jiyong still sitting on the sofa and watching him silently.

“Did you want something Hyung?”

“Well I was just thinking that it’s been about six months since your last season so I thought I should offer my help again if you need. You don’t have to accept and even if you do I don’t expect anything. I just have a nice big tub at my place that I know works wonders for cramps.” 

“Thanks Hyung. I’ll think about it.” Hanbin smiled gratefully.

“Well that’s what I wanted to say but if you’re done here I could treat you to breakfast.” Jiyong offered as he checked his wrist watch.

“Breakfast?” Hanbin’s eyes widen and he bolted out of his chair. “Shit what time is it?”

“Nearly ten. Why?” Jiyong looked up in confusion.

“I’ve got to get to dance practise; the others will be waiting.”

Hanbin frantically moved around the room grabbing his phone and jacket that he hand thrown haphazardly onto the floor when he fell asleep. After a moment of hesitation he grabbed his toothbrush bag he kept in the studio just in case. After the number of late nights Hanbin had put in he had learned it was better to be prepared.

He waved a quick goodbye to Jiyong who was frowning at him again and sped down the hallway towards the toilets.

By the time he arrived in the practise room he was twenty minutes late and the others had already begun to practise. Jinhwan gave him the stink eye as he moved to the front of the room to dump his stuff and get ready.

Hanbin watched them run through the dance; silently taking down criticism and praise as they went. It looked good and Hanbin felt pride as he watched them work together to really nail the choreography. When the song ended he nodded and smiled round at them but was only met with anger.

“Where the hell did you go last night?” Jiwon thundered and crowded into Hanbin’s space.

“The studio. I had things to do.” Hanbin stood firm.

“If you were already here; why are you so late?” Jiwon’s eyes flashed dangerously.

Hanbin huffed and pushed Jiwon away. The move made panic flare up in his chest about the possible repercussions but he had to stand strong against the others during work otherwise he would lose all authority.

“Leave it Jiwon. He said he was at the studio.” YunHyeong scowled from across the room.

“If he’s off getting it from some random instead of focusing on the team then I want to know about it.” Jiwon caught Hanbin by the shoulders and shoved him against the wall.

“You’re the one that disappears for days on end only to come back smelling like a random Omega; not me!” Hanbin snapped and shoved back a Jiwon.

Unfortunately Jiwon was ready for the move this time and caught Hanbin before slamming him back against the wall painfully. Jiwon held his gaze as he deliberately leaned in to scent him. Hanbin flinched as he watch Jiwon’s face creep closer to his neck.

Scenting was meant to be a source of support and a sign of affection within packs but Jiwon had long made it into a sick parallel to simply show his power. The blanket of pheromones and Alpha scent that drowned out his gentler Beta tones only served to remind Hanbin of his place.

After thoroughly marking Hanbin Jiwon pulled away with a displeased expression on his face.

“So you didn’t meet anyone last night?”

“I’ve already told you I was in the studio.” Hanbin bit out and struggled against Jiwon’s hold.

“Then why do you smell like an Omega?” Jiwon sneered.

Hanbin froze and looked around the room for help. Chanwoo and Jinhwan looked on with disinterest as if the commotion was simply a distraction from their practise. DongHyuk and Junhoe were holding YunHyeong back where he was trying to force his way over and while Hanbin would have been grateful for the Alpha's help he knew YunHyeong would only make it worse if he challenged Jiwon now. DongHyuk was doing most of the work as Junhoe seemed to be transfixed on Hanbin with a dark look on his face.

Hanbin met the YunHyeong's eyes and saw the disappointment there. It broke Hanbin’s heart that YunHyeong had to see this side of his dongsaengs again and it was all his fault.

“Jiyong came by.” Hanbin let his body slump as he lost all desire to fight. “He woke me up. That’s why I was late.”

"Did he fuck you?" Jiwon ground out and pulled Hanbin's shirt off of his shoulder one by one; no doubt checking for any signs of sexual activity.

"No he woke me up, we talked for a bit and then I realised the time."

Jiwon looked up and down his body a few more times before deciding to accept his explanation and let him go. Hanbin slid to the floor when the Alpha walked away; hugging his knees to his chest he tried to fight the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. Jiwon paused in the middle of the practise room and turned back to Hanbin.

"I don't want to ever hear you accuse me of sleeping around with Omega's again. This pack means something to me; even if it doesn't to you."

Hanbin gulped and hung his head. He knew that. Jiwon had never so much as shown interest in anyone outside of the pack and he certainly didn't come home smelling of them.

YunHyeong finally threw off the others restraining hands and was across the room in seconds.

“Binnie? Look at me. Please look at me Bin-a.” YunHyeong pleaded.

Hanbin looked up with a raised eyebrow and let his head fall backwards against the wall. It was too much effort to hold it up now that the danger had passed and the adrenaline was gone.

“Who did that to your face?” YunHyeong gasped as if he had only just noticed the large discoloured patch on his cheek.

Hanbin was about to reply with a dismissal when Junhoe cut in.

“He deserved it.”

Anger flashed in YunHyeong’s eyes and he whipped around to confront the younger but Hanbin was faster and got in front of the enraged Alpha. Placing both hands flat on the heaving chest Hanbin released his pheromones in an attempt to defuse the situation.

“Say that again. I dare you.” YunHyeong growled out.

“He. Deserved. It.” Junhoe said in a clipped tone.

The young Alpha still hadn’t taken his eyes off of Hanbin. Hanbin could feel the power of his gaze burning into his back. This aggression wasn’t uncommon from the other boy but it usually took a lot longer to erupt and didn't usually end in a challenge to the older Alpha's. Just a few well aimed hits to Hanbin's rib cage.

YunHyeong lunged forward but Hanbin managed to keep him back. Now that Hanbin was between them he was confident the fight wouldn’t escalate further. In all the time he had known them they had never gotten to blows if he was present; it was a blessing and a curse. While there was no blood or broken bones to take care of it mean the aggressive behaviours needed to be worked out in other ways.

“Stay the fuck away from him.” YunHyeong stared Junhoe down.

“What has got into everyone lately?” Jinhwan broke his silence and looked around the room in frustration.

“That’s what I would like to know.” Hanbin muttered.

When no one took any further action against each other Hanbin decided to get back into the more neutral territory of rehearsal. Once the music was pumping through the room everyone seemed to calm down and focus on the dancing. Jinhwan and DongHyuk lost the tense set of their shoulders as they finally let go of the hyper-alertness they had to adopt to survive. YunHyeong and Chanwoo were messing about in the breaks and even including Hanbin when he wasn’t busy watching the videos for mistakes.

Jiwon had settled down considerably now that he had asserted his dominance in the room and covered Hanbin with his scent. Hanbin was well and truly marked as the pack leader’s property. He wasn’t entirely sure why that made it easier for Jiwon to take his direction but it did so Hanbin didn’t question it too much.

The only problem was Junhoe. The usually lively Alpha was standoffish and withdrawn for most of the morning. Hanbin had held off on calling him out for the mistakes he was making hoping that he would pull out of his funk soon enough. However, by the time they returned from lunch Junhoe was even crabbier than before and he had even snapped at DongHyuk which had earned him an earful from the Omega.

Hanbin had begun to subtly drop hints that Junhoe needed to pay more attention. He didn’t want to antagonise the situation any further but he also needed to do his job as the leader and get them ready for the performances.

They had just finished another run of the song where Junhoe had wandered into the wrong position and nearly caused Chanwoo to fall over. Hanbin sighed deeply and decided he might as well get it over with since the other seemed to be set in his mood.

“Junhoe can I speak with you please?”

Hanbin felt the tension in the room spike at his polite question but stood his ground; arms crossed and watched the younger boy throw down his towel before stomping over.

“What?”

Hanbin raised an eyebrow at the rude tone, although he hadn’t expected any better, but decided to forget about Junhoe’s attitude for the moment.

“Is everything alright? You’re not focused at all on the dance and you keep getting the steps wrong.”

“Keep your nose out of my business Beta.” Junhoe snarled.

“I just want to help. We don’t have very long before the dances need to be ready and we need to work as a team to get there.”

“I don’t want your help.” Junhoe turned to walk away but paused and rounded on Hanbin with a look of anger. “In fact you’re the problem! So butt out.”

“Unfortunately, as your leader I can’t just-”

Hanbin realised the error of his words the second Junhoe pounced on him. Never challenge an angry Alpha. Hanbin berated himself as he lay dazed under Junhoe’s heavy body. The growl that resonated deep in Junhoe’s chest made Hanbin’s teeth chatter with the force and dominance displayed.

“Submit.” Junhoe grit out between clenched teeth.

Hanbin froze for a second to take in his vulnerable position. Lying on his back with no way to get leverage against the stronger male. He knew the best option would be to do as he was ordered.

Slowly turning his head to the side he saw the members gathered around with clear worry on their faces. Hanbin knew it was only concern at how the company would react if he had his throat torn out rather than any fear of his wellbeing but it made him feel slightly less alone.

The breath was punched out of his lungs when Junhoe suddenly shoved his face into Hanbin’s neck but instead of the sharp pain of teeth all he felt were soft lips running down the skin.

Junhoe groaned as he started to scent Hanbin in earnest. The hot puffs of air against his racing pulse ignited something inside Hanbin and he relaxed fully; releasing a cloud of pheromones to sooth the Alpha above him.

Over time the dangerous notes of aggression slipped away from Junhoe’s scent and left the undeniable scent of his rut behind. Everything suddenly clicked in Hanbin’s mind and he felt his body responding to the arousal in the air.

The unusually high levels of aggression from the others; Jinhwan’s disappearing acts; and Chanwoo’s increased territorial behaviour. All signs that pre-rut pheromones were effecting the pack and all signs that Hanbin had missed.

Letting his body go completely limp his tried to meet the eyes of his pack members to communicate what he needed. Before he found someone to focus on Junhoe’s hand in his hair yanked his head back and suddenly lips crashed into Hanbin’s.

Shock shot through his body as his mind tried to comprehend what was happening. In all of the time Hanbin had been helping the others with their ruts Junhoe had never shown any interest in being intimate in such a way.

Despite being completely unexpected the kiss sparked pleasure through Hanbin. It felt so hungry and desperate as Junhoe began to rock against him that Hanbin could almost trick himself into feeling desired. The Alpha was releasing little grunts as he tried to get into a better position without giving up any contact between their bodies.

Hanbin hummed in bliss as the grinding began to become overwhelming. His face flushed as he remembered the rest of the pack were still in the room but his body had already given into his instinct to please and help his Alpha.

It had always been a difficult problem for Hanbin, whether or not he would help the pack through ruts, because while he didn’t have a desire to have sex with them he was still extremely possessive and they were all objectively attractive.. Originally he had wanted nothing to do with his new pack mates who bullied him nonstop but the arrival of the Beta’s from the escort service had awoken his territorial nature. Since then he had helped the Alpha’s through every rut and several other favours when they needed the release.

Junhoe had begun to rumble happily when he felt Hanbin relax completely and give in to the kiss. His hands seemed to be everywhere on Hanbin’s body and suddenly the thought of the other members in the room didn’t do anything to dampen his desire.

“Oh, what the fuck.” Jiwon’s yell of disgust managed to break through the frenzy of Junhoe’s mind.

“Back off.” Junhoe growled.

“Look at yourself. Doing that with a Beta. What the fuck man?”

Junhoe glared at Jiwon for a while before slowly moving his gaze to Hanbin. The Alpha blinked a few times before clarity began to seep back into his eyes. Hanbin saw the moment he realised what was going on and braced for the hit.

Leaping off of Hanbin Junhoe’s earlier anger surfaced with a vengeance.

“It’s none of your business.”

“Jiwon, he’s in rut. Let me get him back to the dorms.” Hanbin pleaded from where he still sat on the floor.

“You were scenting him like you wanted to mate him.” Jiwon ignored Hanbin and continued his tirade towards Junhoe.

“As if I would mate with a slutty Beta.” Junhoe sneered back.

“It didn’t look like that from where I was standing.”

“Then get your fucking eyes checked.”

“Alright. Enough.” Jinhwan shouted over the arguing boys and stood between them. “Stop fighting, it’s just the pheromones. Hanbin get Junhoe out of here and sort it out.”

Hanbin nodded and scrambled up off the floor. The look Junhoe was giving him, mixed with the heavy scents in the air, made his legs shake with anticipation.

Getting Junhoe out to the company car that Jinhwan had called was relatively easy considering Junhoe had plastered himself to Hanbin’s back and everyone got the hell out of the way of an Alpha in rut. By the time they were seated in the back of the car Junhoe had ripped Hanbin’s shirt to shreds; pulled it off his shoulders and he was grinding against him again.

Trying to stay aware enough to get Junhoe into the dorm when they arrived Hanbin distracted himself from the amazing feelings by planning out what he would need for the next few days. The fridge would be well stocked with rut supplies so he wasn’t too worried but the thought of missing so much work so close to the tour was problematic. Maybe if DongHyuk helped for a few of the waves he may be able to get on top of his work. 

Thinking of the other members Hanbin tried to work out who would be next for this quarter. Hanbin had just helped YunHyeong through his rut and Chanwoo had been before that so that just left Jiwon.

Groaning Hanbin shut down that thought. Jiwon was the only member that hadn’t allowed Hanbin to help him through his rut. His ruts were drawn out and heightened as a result since he wouldn’t accept anyone and it left the entire group on edge. They had tried to get him a Beta escort and even resorted to hiring Alphas and Omegas as well but Jiwon always turned them down.

He had claimed it was because he wanted his pack to help him but Hanbin was off the table because of being a Beta. The other Alphas had scoffed at the idea when Hanbin had suggested they could be Jiwon’s partner and as the Omegas of the pack hadn’t had their heats triggered they weren’t ecstatic to help either. Jinhwan wouldn’t help with a rut because he refused to bottom at all and DongHyuk just wasn’t willing to go through the discomfort.

Hanbin sighed. This was going to be a long month.


	4. Always a downside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for choosing Giraffe Trains to reach your destination of Fucktown, Smutsville in the country of Sexyland. We have nearly arrived at the station.  
> This chapter is basically just Junhoe/Hanbin smut so if thats not your cup of tea skip down to "After that Hanbin bid a hasty retreat..." and continue the story there.  
> Please leave a comment to let me know what you think and Kudos if you enjoy it.  
> I hope you like the chapter xxx

Hanbin allowed himself to be pushed down on the bed and Junhoe crawled on top of him; not once stopping the kissing and the teasing nips he trailed up Hanbin’s body. Hanbin groaned out in pleasure as the dominant scent of his pack mate cocooned him and set his nerves on fire.

Junhoe was slowly grinding his hips into Hanbin as he released wave upon wave of powerful and painfully arousing pheromones. The lips moving in the crook of Hanbin’s neck moved from the heady kisses to a quiet muttering that Hanbin couldn’t catch above the pounding of his heart.

“Alpha? What is it? I can’t hear you.” Hanbin let his hand rest cautiously on the back of Junhoe’s head; tangling his fingers in the silky hair.

Junhoe ripped Hanbin’s hand out of his hair and slammed it down onto the bed with a growl. Capturing Hanbin’s other wrist with his free hand Junhoe raised up to hover over Hanbin with all his weight pressing down on the restrained wrists.

“Please. Please can I- I… I need to…” Junhoe gasped out.

“I’m here. Take what you need.”

“Say you want it too. Please say you want it too.”

Hanbin felt a ghost of a smile play on his lips as the usually fierce Alpha shuddered with desire, completely out of control, and pleaded with him. It made an extreme contrast with the forceful actions and heated gaze as the Alpha waited for his reply.

“I want this. Please let me help you.”

Junhoe’s deafening growl pulled an answering whine out of Hanbin and he tilted his neck to the side to give the other boy better access.

The Alpha wasted no time in returning to the maddening caresses all over Hanbin’s body. Junhoe’s large hands skimmed down Hanbin’s chest and gripped tightly at his sharp hip bones and Junhoe dipped his head back into the newly exposed skin of Hanbin’s neck.

Hanbin moaned at the intense suction over the pulse point in his neck and couldn’t help but arch into the hard body trapping him on the bed. Junhoe continued to rumble low in his throat and the rocking of his body picked up speed.

Hanbin suddenly found his air cut off as Junhoe, apparently satisfied with the mark on his neck, sealed their mouths in a heavy kiss. Letting his Beta nature take over Hanbin easily submitted to the assault and whined into the Junhoe’s mouth as the other’s tongue ran over the roof of his mouth sensually.

Nipping Hanbin’s bottom lip and pulling the skin between his teeth Junhoe sat up and gazed down at Hanbin with a hungry look. Hanbin blinked back up at the other and waited for the next move. Junhoe climbed off the bed and began to strip while he searched for the supplies they would need.

Watching Junhoe slowly reveal his rippling abs and the bulging muscles of his arms Hanbin couldn’t hold in the high pitched whimper at seeing his Alpha on display. Junhoe shot a look over his shoulder and grinned smugly when their eyes met.

Spurred into action by the predatory gaze Hanbin wiggled out of his joggers and the rest of his tattered shirt before laying back on the bed, now fully naked, to wait.

“Come here.” Junhoe commanded.

He didn’t give Hanbin time to obey before he had grabbed Hanbin’s hips and hauled him to the edge of the bed. Junhoe then folded Hanbin’s legs upwards and outwards; pressing them into the mattress and leaving Hanbin’s hole completely exposed.

Hanbin flinched as a splattering of warm saliva suddenly landed between his cheeks and Junhoe tightened his fingers around Hanbin’s spread knees.

“Just lie there and take what I give you.” Junhoe ordered and pressed a chaste kiss to Hanbin’s inner thigh.

“Yes Alpha.” Hanbin’s exhaled deeply and let his head fall backwards.

Junhoe shifted between his legs and Hanbin soon felt puffs of breath over the sensitive skin. The first drag of Junhoe’s tongue along the twitching muscle drove another moan out of Hanbin’s mouth and he tilted his hips up towards the sensation.

The Alpha’s fingers drug into the flesh of Hanbin’s ass as he pulled the cheeks apart for better access. The feeling of the steady lapping at his hole left Hanbin shaking in pleasure and he slowly let his hand trail down towards his dick. No sooner had Hanbin wrapped his fingers around his aching member Junhoe had slapped his arms away with an echoing crack. Junhoe’s steely grip then clamped onto Hanbin’s balls and pinched tightly.

“You think this is about you Beta?” Junhoe spat into Hanbin’s face.

Hanbin gasped as the Alpha’s fingers tightened even more and looked up at the sadistic smile slowly spreading on Junhoe’s face.

“No Alpha. Sorry Alpha.” Hanbin pleaded.

“This doesn’t belong to you. Your pleasure is mine; you can only have what I deem fit to give you. Understand?”

Junhoe punctuated the question with a firm squeeze and Hanbin whined before nodding quickly as tears sprung to his eyes.

“Good.”

With one last painful pinch Junhoe released Hanbin’s sack and leaned back in to continue rimming his fluttering hole. Hanbin bit down on the back of his hand to stem the cries trying to escape but quickly released the skin when he remembered Junhoe hadn’t told him to be quiet. Throwing back his head Hanbin allowed the sounds of his pleasure to echo around the bedroom.

“Alpha… Alpha please.” Hanbin whined and tried to roll his hips into the sensation.

“That’s it Beta. Give into me and let me please you in the way only an Alpha can.” Junhoe continued his assault on Hanbin’s sensitive rim.

The pleasure began to ramp up but Hanbin knew something was missing. The Beta desire to please those around them meant that while Junhoe’s ministrations felt amazing Hanbin couldn’t enjoy them to the fullest until his Alpha was also pleasured.

Hanbin fought against the haze in his head the prop himself up on his elbows and look down at Junhoe’s head between his legs.

“Alpha let me-” Hanbin was suddenly face down in the pillows with his ass in the air.

“I said submit.” Junhoe grunted into Hanbin’s ear. “Stop thinking and give in to me.”

Junhoe’s broad body covered Hanbin’s back and the other’s hips fit snuggly against his own. Junhoe snaked a hand under Hanbin’s body and began to slowly stroke his dick; drawing out a whine. Hanbin buried his head in his crossed arms on the bed and arched his spine, unsure whether to push forward into the hand at his front or the firm body behind him.

While he was distracted with his indecision Hanbin missed Junhoe’s other hand disappearing from his hips to grab the lube. The drizzle of the cold liquid made him flinch while Junhoe placed possessive kisses down his spine.

“Just take it for Alpha.” Junhoe’s breathy voice spread over the small of Hanbin’s back making him shiver again.

Soon Junhoe was working a long finger into Hanbin. Hanbin relaxed into the feeling and took several deep breaths to prepare himself. The second finger brought a slight burn with the pleasure but Hanbin embraced it and rolled his hips back into the stretch.

Junhoe twisted his fingers around and gently brushed against Hanbin’ sensitive walls until he found the spot that had Hanbin pushing himself up onto all fours.

“Yes. That’s it. Right there please Alpha.” Hanbin cried out.

The growl Junhoe released at Hanbin’s exclamation was cut off as the other bit into the Beta’s shoulder, hard. Junhoe’s hips were humping against Hanbin’s ass cheek and his fingers were running relentlessly across Hanbin’s prostate.

Junhoe quickly added a third and then fourth finger to finish preparing Hanbin and continued the maddening drag of his fingers. After a few more thrusts Junhoe pulled his fingers out of a shaking Hanbin and shifted on his knees to align himself.

The hard thrust pushed Hanbin completely down on the bed so he was spread eagle and totally pinned down beneath Junhoe’s larger mass. Junhoe’s member caused a stretch in the muscle of his rim despite being thoroughly prepared by the Alpha.

Junhoe began his punishing rhythm; the sound of skin slapping skin and wet squelching grew in the room as Hanbin moaned out at each powerful thrust. The steely hands moved from Hanbin’s hips to grip at his shoulders and shove him back against Junhoe’s cock.

Hanbin couldn’t hold his head up as the continuous pounding sapped at his strength and the pleasure clouded his mind. The occasional brush against his gland only served to shove him higher and higher, closer and closer to the edge.

“Is this what you need?” Junhoe asked as he continued to slam into Hanbin.

“Alpha…” Hanbin whined, feeling completely disorientated by the overwhelming bliss coursing through him.

“You can’t do anything but whine out for your Alpha. You were made for this, made to please me. You feel so damn good.”

Junhoe punctuated his statement with a couple of hard thrusts before he pulled out and flipped Hanbin onto his side. The Alpha rammed back inside and Hanbin screamed as the swollen knot growing at the base of Junhoe’s cock was suddenly forced in. Junhoe resumed his furious pounding and bit down on Hanbin’s calf where is now rested on his shoulder.

“Alpha… I need… please.”

“Say my name Beta.” Junhoe growled.

“Alpha-”

“No say my name, Hanbin. Let me here you begging me for it.”

“Junhoe. Junhoe please.” Hanbin babbled out as the tugging on his rim increased with every thrust.

At the sound of his name mixed in with Hanbin’s pleasured moans Junhoe lost the last of his control and jerked into Hanbin before his knot locked him into place and the Alpha was pumping load upon load into Hanbin’s ass.

The smell of Junhoe’s cum mixed with the cocktail of pheromones he released as the rut was satisfied tugged Hanbin over the precipice into his own orgasm. Junhoe continued to fuck Hanbin through the juddering aftershocks of the intense climax.

Finally Junhoe collapsed down onto his own side behind Hanbin; the jostling movement causing Hanbin to whine in overstimulation. Junhoe laid another possessive and open mouthed kiss at Hanbin’s nape and wrapped his arms around Hanbin’s waist.

Hanbin relaxed into the warm body and for once let the scent of pack lull him. The sense of security and being cared for that came with the flood of cum into his guts and the ache of the various claiming bites littering his skin calmed him.

Junhoe nuzzled into Hanbin’s neck in much the same way he had in the practise room. Hanbin let out a deep sigh as the first wave of the rut finally receded and Junhoe’s usual control returned. The gentle rumbling in the alpha’s throat soothed Hanbin to the bone and made the tug of fatigue even more powerful.

Instead of pushing Hanbin away after the knot deflated Junhoe pulled Hanbin even closer to his chest and continued to mouth at the numerous marks across his shoulders; leaving a few new ones in the process. After a few minutes in comfortable silence the lazy kisses stopped completely and Hanbin felt the regular breathing of the sleeping Alpha against his neck.

Hanbin smiled and snuggled back in the other. The comfort and security of the moment being engraved into his heart to shore him up against the tide that would be Junhoe’s eventual rejection after the rut was finished.

The rest of the rut cycle followed much the same pattern. With mind blowing sex, unlimited cuddling and frequent snack breaks.

As Junhoe’s pheromones began to calm down the more playful side of his nature began to come out and Hanbin couldn’t help but notice the disappointed flashes in his eyes when Junhoe pushed and Hanbin couldn’t push back. It just wasn’t in his nature to challenge the Alpha, or any Alpha, and it began to fester in his mind as Junhoe became more and more reluctant to engage in sex when the waves hit.

So when DongHyuk waltzed his way into the bedroom on the afternoon of the third day Hanbin breathed a sigh of relief. He stayed only long enough to tug his discarded joggers up his legs and forgo the shredded shirt but it was still long enough to get an eyeful.

Hanbin felt almost guilty as he watch Junhoe light up again as the Alpha and Omega wrestled for dominance on the bed. DongHyuk finally emerging victorious and shoving Junhoe’s head down onto his cock with a growl.

After that Hanbin bid a hasty retreat; slamming the door shut behind him and running to the bathroom to wash off the scent of his recent activities.

The hot water felt amazing as it beat down on his tired, aching muscles and washed away the sweat from his body. It also removed Junhoe’s claiming scent and as Hanbin lathered himself up he felt strangely vulnerable without the Alpha’s presence.

Shaking his head Hanbin turned off the shower and grabbed a towel before heading to his own room. It felt good to be back in his own space, it was an unwritten rule in the dorm that personal rooms were off limits, and not having the posture or pretend big wonders for Hanbin's relaxation.

Finding his phone and dance bag thrown on his bed, probably YunHyeong or Jinhwan’s doing, Hanbin plugged in the device and began to get dressed. When his mobile finally had enough charge to turn on the sound of several notifications coming through made Hanbin frown.

Pausing with his hoodie still bunched around his chest Hanbin picked up the device and nearly choked when he read the message from the manager asking to see him ASAP. Hanbin wrestled the hoodie the rest of the way down his torso and bolted out of the room.

He passed Chanwoo and YunHyeong intertwined with each other on the sofa but continued on with his rush to get his shoes and get to the YG building.

“Hanbin-a what are you doing?” YunHyeong called after him.

“The manager wanted to see me. I don’t know when I’ll be back.” Hanbin replied over his shoulder.

“Bin why don’t you-” But the rest of YunHyeong’s sentence was cut off by the heavy door to the dorms slamming behind Hanbin and the rapid footsteps as he sprinted down the stairs.

Hailing down a taxi Hanbin climbed in and collapsed in the back seat. He gave the driver the address and slumped down to stare out of the window.

The manager had messaged him yesterday morning. With any luck it would be an unimportant matter that they could resolved when Hanbin arrived; after all if it had important one of the others would have dealt with it or even come to get him. 

Unless… No. Hanbin shook the thought out of his head. It had to be work related because if it wasn’t. Well, Hanbin was well and truly fucked. Literally.

When the taxi arrived at the entertainment HQ Hanbin thanked him kindly and paid before jogging in through the front entrance. Once he reached the correct floor Hanbin bowed deeply to his manager’s sectary and tried to ignore the look of distain he got in return.

“Is manager-nim available for a meeting now?” Hanbin asked breathlessly.

“I’ll go and check. Wait here.” The woman replied haughtily and disappeared into the main office.

Hanbin shifted uneasily from foot to foot as he waited in the opulent reception area. No one else was around so hopefully there would be no witnesses to his scolding but it would also mean there would be no one to help if… Not that anyone would risk their jobs to save a Beta anyway.

The receptionist returned through the door and gestured for Hanbin to enter.

“He’ll see you now.”

Hanbin bowed in thanks and scurried into the office to stand stiffly in front of the large desk. His manager continued typing for a while longer before he leaned back in his chair and surveyed Hanbin where he stood nervously.

“Do you think yourself above me, Beta?” The Alpha asked slowly.

“No, Sir.” Hanbin replied and kept his head bowed.

“Do you think I would call you in here for something that didn’t require immediate attention?”

“No, Sir, but-”

“Answer the question.” The manager cut Hanbin off with an icy tone.

“No, Sir.”

“That’s right, I wouldn’t. In fact the very sight of you disgusts me.” The Alpha stood from his leather wingback chair and stalked around the desk to stand behind Hanbin. “So what should we do about this blatant disrespect?”

“But Sir, Junhoe went into rut and it’s in our contract that-”

Hanbin’s voice was cut off yet again at the older man pulled his head backwards by a sharp grip in his hair.

“I’m aware. Jinhwan let me know after you left with Junhoe. It’s lucky for you I don’t enjoy sloppy seconds or I would be reminding you exactly where a Beta’s place is.”

The manager shoved Hanbin’s head forwards and Hanbin stumbled. The other man moved back around the desk and relaxed back into his chair.

“As it is I have a new schedule I need you to get the others ready for. Weekly Idol will take iKON for an episode to promote the new album and tour. Interview practise has also been set up for the end of the week so make sure you know the timings.”

“Weekly Idol?” Hanbin croaked out and felt his stomach begin to tie up in knots.

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“It’s just that… Well, Weekly Idol has been known to have some quite… extreme views on Betas.” Hanbin replied carefully.

“If you want to keep your job, iKON needs to do well and if iKON is to do well you need exposure to fans. So take a couple of hits to your ego for once and act like a leader.”

“I just don’t see how the MCs insulting my subgender is going to win over fans.” Hanbin huffed in a rare moment of bravery.

“Don’t be stupid. They had HeeChul as an MC for a while and he’s a Beta. They’ll just ignore you.”

Hanbin couldn’t argue there. While his own members could be cruel and downright violent at times Hanbin knew it was only because they had to reject the authority he had over them. Even if it was only for work, it went against everything in their natures too concede to him and, besides YunHyeong, they just couldn’t handle a Beta in charge. 

In contrast to iKON’s explosive responses to him most of the general public simply ignored Betas and pretended they didn’t exist outside of a conversation about the best position to fuck one in. Korea was still more traditional in its view of things so Betas still had freedom of movement outside of the pack but they were worth nothing.

In the western world views on the different subgenders and even pack structure itself had changed drastically since the turn of the century.

America was most notable in this fact as packs became huge, commercial affairs. Whole skyscrapers or even whole blocks were reserved for the exclusive use of a single pack only. Pack members were expected to work, eat, sleep and mate within their territory and owed absolute loyalty to the pack leaders.

Despite the knowledge that in most cases, and on the majority of shows, Hanbin was simply just ignored in favour of the shiny Alphas and Omegas the rumours he had heard about the new staff at Weekly Idol wouldn’t let him back down.

“Yes but the new hosts are-”

“Get out of my sight before I change my mind about teaching you a lesson. Your ass may be next to useless but I can find many better uses for your mouth than talking my ear off.”

The sickening thought of the manager’s hands trailing over his body and covering up the marks Junhoe had just left had Hanbin running out of the room before the manager had time to even finish.

As he rounded the hallway to head to his studio and escape for a while Hanbin scrubbed at the tears that were rolling down his cheeks.

Don’t let them get to you. Don’t let him get to you. You know your own worth and that is enough. You are enough.

Hanbin repeated the words over and over in his mind like a mantra as he tore he way down the corridor and away from the manager. With his too tight hands, too deep stare and too strong scent.

Away. He had to get away.


	5. Bread Crumbs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this seems a little rushed my dude. My laptop deleted the last half of this chapter and I wrote it quickly from memory so it may seem a little less polished. Sorry about that but I'm too tired to deal with it right now.  
> Please leave a comment about what you think of the story so far and a kudo if you are enjoying it. And don't be afraid to add me on twitter @Giraffaholic1 I would love to hear from you and chat.  
> I hope you enjoy the chapter xxx

After hiding in his studio until YunHyeong called him back to the dorm for dinner Hanbin was feeling much more put together. The pounding fear that came with the manager’s threats had all but dissipated as he arranged and rearranged his new song.

The atmosphere in the dorms, when he arrived, was completely relaxed and Chanwoo had even served Hanbin his first bowl of rice with a smile. As Hanbin looked around at the others laughing and playfully bickering he was reminded of the bedtime stories his mother had told him about a true pack. The warmth that filled his chest and the amazing food his Hyung had made filled his stomach making him completely content in his place.

“Hanbin-a take some more rice.” YunHyeong spoke gently from besides him as he carefully spooned another helping.

“It’s okay Hyung. I’m getting full anyway; I’m sure Chanwoo could do with some more.”

“I can see that you’ve lost weight Bin.” YunHyeong continued to add food to Hanbin’s bowl with a small frown. “If Chanwoo-ya wants some there is more than enough for you both.”

“Stop frowning Hyung.” Hanbin laughed and pushed at the frown lines on YunHyeong’s forehead.

“I can’t help frowning when it comes to you, kid.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Hanbin tutted and he picked up the full bowl to pass it over to Chanwoo but a growl from across the table froze him in place.

“Eat the damn food Hanbin.” Jiwon glared at him and Hanbin caught the strong scent of Jiwon’s dominant pheromones.

Hanbin nodded and swallowed to clear his suddenly tight throat. The Alpha’s use of pheromones meant there wasn’t even a change Hanbin could disobey the order so he placed he bowl back down and pulled out a chunk of rice with his chopsticks.

“Be grateful for what you get Beta.” Junhoe added with a sneer and puffed up his chest.

“Quiet you.” Jinhwan scolded. “It’s not like you are the provider of the food here.”

Hanbin watched the younger Alpha from under his eyelashes. The other seemed to glance at Jiwon, who shrugged, before he deflated and continued eating silently.

Why was he so stupid? He had ruined the entire mood of the room in five minutes flat. Why hadn’t he just accepted the damn food like a normal person would have done? Now his appetite was well and truly gone and the thought of eating even another mouthful made nausea roll through him.

“Bin? What’s wrong?” YunHyeong asked as he leaned in from the side again.

The room was deathly quiet apart from the scrapes of utensils moving against bowls and DongHyuk obnoxiously drinking.

“Nothing Hyung. I really am just full. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. I shouldn’t have forced you.” YunHyeong patted his shoulder gently. “Do you want something else?”

“No. I’m good.”

Jiwon snorted but Hanbin ignored him as YunHyeong searched his face for a few moments longer before leaning in to scent Hanbin’s neck. The Alpha’s warm scent was one of the few that only brought him comfort and happiness. 

With YunHyeong there was no fear or anger or disgust. The other touched him freely and lovingly and it never failed to make Hanbin’s heart flutter unless he was particularly wound up. Once YunHyeong had pulled back and continued eating Hanbin sat in a kind of daze that being scented by the other always ignited. 

As the other members were beginning to clear up the bowls and cups Hanbin suddenly remembered the schedule he had to update them about.

“Umm… before you all go for the evening.” Hanbin held his breath as six pairs of eyes suddenly bore into him expectantly. “Well, I had a meeting with Manager-nim and we have an appearance on Weekly Idol. So interview training will begin shortly and the stylists will want to see you.”

Everyone simply nodded in agreement before taking everything into the kitchen and dispersing.

Hanbin continued to sit at the table blinking at the empty doorway in confusion. That had gone surprisingly well. No questions from Jinhwan, no moaning from Junhoe and no growls from Jiwon. Couldn’t have gone better in all honesty.

Despite the easy acceptance Hanbin longed for someone, anyone, to come back and ask for more information on the appearance so he could rant about how prejudiced the hosts were. He hadn’t expected the others to be aware of it, it wasn’t as if Beta problems were a hot topic in the dorms anyway. However, he was certain if he had told YunHyeong or  
Jinhwan or even Chanwoo they would have been somewhat sympathetic.

Between editing parts of his song Hanbin had searched up some of the posts that other beta idols had made about their experience on the show or just encountering the hosts in general. None had been positive and most had even been downright scary.

Letting his mind spin uselessly for a few more minutes Hanbin gave himself time to worry and stress about what his dynamic had to deal with before pulling himself together and putting his leader face on. The others didn’t need, or want, a weak Beta in the pack but they did follow B.I. Mostly.

Heaving himself to his feet Hanbin considered heading back to the studio for a few hours but his heavy eyelids and churning stomach made the decision for him. Mind made up Hanbin headed down the corridor but the light from the kitchen caught his eye. The others must have left it on before heading to their rooms.

Hanbin shuffled closer to switch off the light and save the environment or whatever but paused when he heard hushed voices coming from inside.

“I have eyes YunHyeong. I can see he isn’t doing well.”

Hanbin’s eyes widen. Was that Jiwon Hyung? What did he mean someone wasn’t doing well? Had Hanbin missed one of the other members being sick?

“I know you have eyes Jiwon. I just didn’t expect you to care.” YunHyeong’s icy voice replied.

“I don’t… care… I don’t care about him but I care about iKON. If he isn’t looking after himself how can he look after the group?”

“How dare you.” YunHyeong hissed. “Never speak about him like that in my presence. He is a better leader than any of us could ever hope to be and he is the only leader of iKON I would want.”

Hanbin choked at the words. Did YunHyeong really mean that? How could he? Yunhyeong was an Alpha, a strong one, and the heart of iKON. There was no reason for such loyalty to a lowly Beta.

“Why do you defend him? We all fought for this group; we all sacrificed and pushed and hurt. What does he do other than runaway and criticise us? If he is sick it’s better to get him out now before it effects the group.”

“Did you ever think that he is the way he is because he has to do that shit?” YunHyeong growled back at the other.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m surprised. Aren’t you always saying that is isn’t in a Beta’s nature to be a leader? Well did you ever consider that being isolated and terrorised isn’t in their nature either? Did you ever stop and think about how all of this would affect him, physically and mentally, when a Beta is an instinctually affectionate dynamic?”

Hanbin held his breath as the silence in the kitchen spilled out into the hallway. Hanbin didn’t need Yunhyeong to fight his battles for him but he was extremely grateful to the Alpha for standing up for him like this. Deciding to ignore the insinuation that he wasn't meant to be a leader Hanbin could hear the sincerity in YunHyeong's voice. There would probably be no getting through to Jiwon but it was the thought that counts.

“I didn’t… Do you think-? That doesn’t matter he should be able to care for himself.” Jiwon finally bit out and Hanbin sagged against the wall.

“He’s a Beta, Jiwon.” YunHyeong sounded really angry as his voice grew in volume. “He needs the help of the pack, his pack, to get what he needs. Betas are different. Not lesser or weaker or inferior because of it. Just different.”

“Whatever man. If you want to believe a cum slut is equal to an Alpha then that’s your business but leave the rest of us alone.”

“Jiwon-”

Hanbin took off down the hallway before he could hear any more of the exchange. He didn’t need to hear any more vitriol from Jiwon’s lips and he certainly didn’t want to hear YunHyeong eventually give in.

Closing the door to his room Hanbin leaned back against it for a few moments before moving to grab a towel and pyjamas and heading for the bathroom to shower. A nice hot shower would do wonders to wash away the grim of the day, both physical and mental.

After he was done in the shower and Hanbin was brushing his teeth he glared at his blurry reflection in the mirror. Reaching out a hand Hanbin rubbed away the condensation to see himself clearly. Maybe the lines of his cheeks and jaw were a little more prominent after all. The definition of his collarbones was defiantly more obvious than the last time he had taken the time to look at himself.

Thinking back over the last couple of months Hanbin supposed he had missed a few more meals and nights of sleeps than could be considered healthy. Jiwon was right; he couldn’t even look after himself properly let alone the group.

Heaving a deep sigh Hanbin changed into his clothes and headed back to his room. Before he made it halfway down the dark hall he bumped into a big mass and let out a surprised yelp when strong hands gripped his arms to stop him falling.

“Watch where you’re going Beta.” Jiwon grumbled from the darkness.

“Sorry Alpha.” Hanbin whispered and bared his neck despite the other not being able to see him.

“Shut up and stop creeping around.”

“Yes Alpha. Goodnight Alpha.” Hanbin rushed out as he edged passed the older male.

“Just go to sleep.” Jiwon threw over his shoulder before heading off to his own room.

Hanbin made a mad dash into his bedroom in case the Alpha decided he was actually angry about the accidental touch and came back.

Closing the door firmly behind himself Hanbin leapt into his bed and snuggled under the covers until his heart began to calm down again. The words from Jiwon and YunHyeong’s argument still rang in Hanbin’s ears. When he was finally certain there were no footsteps heading towards his door Hanbin snaked a hand out to turn on his bedside lamp.

As the light illuminated the room Hanbin froze. Sitting innocently on his bedside table was a bottle of water, a red apple and a breakfast bar. Someone had been in his room. Hanbin took a few moments to steady his breathing as he reminded himself it was a kind gesture.

It was probably YunHyeong continuing to worry about him from dinner. Hanbin frowned, that didn’t seem right, YunHyeong knew to leave things outside the door and not enter Hanbin’s nest without permission. So who?

Hanbin shook his head. It was probably his over tired mind creating problems out of thin air. Who else would it be? Hanbin picked up the apple to inspect it before feeling the warm feeling in his chest again. Placing the fruit back Hanbin finished getting ready for bed before he turned off the light and snuggled down to go to sleep. As he relaxed into the mattress Hanbin fought a smile at the act of kindness.

After the anti-climactic reaction of the other members to the news of the TV appearance the rest of the week was also surprisingly non-eventful. The others got their outfits without complaint and even the practising had been undertaken with minimal moaning.

Hanbin’s mood had also been picked up considerably by the small packages of food that were left in his studio and practise bag. Hanbin had been meaning to thank YunHyeong for his thoughtfulness for days but had never found the time.

Despite the lack of push back, or maybe because of it, Hanbin was getting edgier and edgier with each day that past and brought them closer to the filming date. To make matters worse Jinwoo had visited to deliver his own warning.

WINNER had been on the show for their own promotional activities and Hanbin could tell the older Beta was worried. Jinwoo had it relatively easy as things went as he was happily mated within the pack and was protected by the others. The gulf of the situation between the two was much more obvious as Jinwoo told him to stay alert and stick to YunHyeong.

Hanbin had in fact wished to have Jinwoo’s life many times over the years, no matter how unrealistic it was. Even if he was just a member and not the leader of iKON Jiwon and DongHyuk would never accept him completely.

Hanbin had never been normal, even for a Beta. He was always criticised for not being strong or assertive enough as a leader but too strong and assertive for a Beta. When he was younger and more eager to please the two contradictory roles has nearly torn Hanbin apart. If it hadn’t been for Jiyong and YunHyeong Hanbin would have shattered a long time ago.

By the time the morning of the filming had arrived Hanbin’s mind was filled with warnings and responsibilities all tangled together in his brain. Hanbin checked the time on his phone and sighed.

The painful cramping in his stomach had slowed down his morning preparations and now he was late. What a great leader he was. Really leading by example. Why did his season have to start today of all days? 

The cramping got worse as Hanbin continued to get ready and the strong desire to curl up with his pack became almost unbearable. Hanbin could already feel the beginnings of a headache and he was feeling irrationally irritable.

None of which were good signs.

Letting out a breath Hanbin finished pulling on his socks and slippers before he shuffled out for breakfast.

Most of the other members were already seated around the table and stuffing their faces.

“Morning Bin.” YunHyeong called happily and handed him a steaming bowl.

“Morning Hyung.”

The others called out a chorus of greetings all in various stages of sleepiness that made Hanbin smile before they returned to eating in silence. Hanbin ate slowly so as not to upset his stomach as he contemplated the upcoming appearance.

Once he was finished eating Hanbin picked up his empty bowl and some serving dishes before heading into the kitchen. YunHyeong was leaning against the counter and preparing some vegetables for the dinner that evening.

Hanbin grunted a greeting and headed to the sink to wash up the items he carried in his arms.

“Is that all I get?” YunHyeong asked playfully and wrapped his arms around Hanbin’s waist from behind.

Hanbin tensed up but forced himself to relax into his Hyung and continue washing up.

“Sorry Hyung. I’m just tired.” Hanbin lied.

“Hmm… Well don’t worry about this appearance. The kids will behave so just look after yourself alright?” YunHyeong liberally scented up and down Hanbin’s neck for a while.

Once all the dishes were finished and stacked on the side to drain Hanbin pushed off the counter to leave the kitchen but YunHyeong tightened his arms.

“Hyung?” Hanbin asked quietly.

“Just let me do this okay?” YunHyeong moaned into the crook of Hanbin’s shoulder.

Hanbin nodded in agreement and suddenly found himself pinned against the kitchen wall while YunHyeong pressed open mouthed kissed along the side of his neck. The actions sent shudders through Hanbin as the older boy teased the sensitive skin.

YunHyeong was also pumping out strong claiming hormones that would tell anyone else that was around Hanbin that he was a member of the pack. It wouldn’t be as strong as if Jiwon had done it, as he was the pack leader, but it was something and it put Hanbin at ease.

“Better?” YunHyeong asked cheekily as he pulled away.

“Much.” Hanbin hummed in response.

“Good. Now go and get ready.” YunHyeong dropped a chaste kiss on Hanbin’s lips before returning to pack up the vegetables.

Hanbin nodded dreamily and headed to the door before he remembered that he wanted to thank YunHyeong for the food he had been leaving.

“Before I go Hyung. I have something to tell you.”

“Shoot.” YunHyeong smiled at him as he snapped the lid onto the container.

“I wanted to thank you for leaving snacks for me all over the place. It means a lot.”

“Hanbin-a what are you talking about? I haven’t been-” YunHyeong started with a frown but was interrupted by Jiwon’s shout from the living room.

“Hurry up. We need to leave now or we’ll be late.”

“Go on before he comes looking for us.” YunHyeong shooed Hanbin away to finish putting the containers away in the fridge.

Hanbin wanted to stay and clarify the secret snack situation with YunHyeong but he feared Jiwon’s anger even more so left the kitchen to grab his shoes and head out to the van.

Seeing that Jinhwan was already squashed in between Junhoe and DongHyuk Hanbin decided to take the free seat at the front of the van and maybe get some sleep on the ride over to the studio. However, as the van rocked and Jiwon’s scent filled the space a heavy body landed beside Hanbin in the seat.

Snapping his eyes open Hanbin looked over at Jiwon in alarm. The Alpha was actively sitting next to him; that couldn’t be good.

“Do you want me to move?” Hanbin asked cautiously.

“Did I say that’s what I wanted?” Jiwon bit out.

“No Alpha.”

“No. So sit still and shut up.”

Hanbin nodded but scooted over in his seat as much as possible to avoid touching the other. Jiwon was looking straight ahead but Hanbin could see his jaw tighten so stopped his movement abruptly.

Jiwon huffed and slung his arm over Hanbin shoulders to hold him still; tugging him closer and Hanbin could distinctly smell Jiwon’s pheromones begin to permeate the air.

“You really can’t do anything right, can you?” Jiwon muttered and ran his fingers over Hanbin’s neck.


	6. What good is a pack?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we're experimenting with a longer chapter length. I mostly just wanted to get this part written and out of the way... makes me shudder. Anyways let me know what you think about the longer chapter.  
> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated. I really love to hear from you guys.  
> I hope you enjoy the chapter xxx
> 
> (ALSO *shameless promotion trigger warning* I recently uploaded another DoubleB oneshot so go check that out if you like this story!!!!!)

By the time to van arrived at the studio Hanbin was completely blissed out on the strong scent of his Alpha and the rest of the pack gathered around them. The near constant brush of Jiwon’s fingers over Hanbin’s scent glad had caused the cramping to dissipate almost completely and the mumbled insults from earlier had long faded from his mind.

The pleasant buzz remained in Hanbin’s head as he told the others the details of where to go and the managers herded them inside. It was almost too easy to fall into a pheromone haze, something that both Betas and Omegas could do quite often if they weren’t self-disciplined enough, and Hanbin had to peel himself away from Jiwon to regain control.

Almost immediately the cramping returned and Hanbin realised how odd the situation was. Why was Jiwon scenting him… nicely? Instead of the flight or fight respond the overpowering of his scent usually invoked it felt as if the Alpha was trying to intertwine their distinctive scents.

Hanbin shook his head and continued to lead the way inside. The staff from the show were mostly respectful, probably for the Alpha’s benefit, as they guided iKON to their dressing room for the day. Once inside they had all dumped their things around the room and Hanbin made himself comfortable on the sofa.

The next stage of the visit was the introduction of the pack to the new, and possibly aggressive, Alphas they would have to work with. It was an old and unnecessary custom now that the more violent tendencies of the dynamics were frowned upon but it was a nice gesture for a visiting pack to meet the hosts. Hanbin knew his presence wasn’t required at the meeting as a Beta had no prestige in the pack and if he could avoid the hosts for a few moments longer it was all good to him.

However, instead of leaving right away the others remained awkwardly in the room as they waited for Jiwon to lead the way; Jiwon, who was currently deep in conversation with YunHyeong, seemed oblivious to his own odd behaviour.

“Hanbin… would you like-?” Jiwon began to ask.

“Would you like me to stay with you?” YunHyeong interrupted what the other Alpha was going to say.

Everyone turned to stare at Hanbin as he blinked rapidly and tried to understand the question. They had never even thought twice about him when they went to the meeting. Either assuming he was following quietly behind them or not caring if he was absent.

_What was going on?_

“I… No, I’m alright to wait here Hyung.” Hanbin replied in confusion.

“Hanbin-a, I’m happy to stay with you. You seemed really worried this morning and I don’t want to leave you alone.” YunHyeong pressed and took a step forwards.

Hanbin felt a flash of panic zip through him. If YunHyeong, the second Alpha of the pack, stayed behind it could be taken as an insult to the hosts and if they ever found out it was caused by a Beta… Hanbin shuddered and shook his head.

“No, Hyung, really. You go to the meeting. I’ll be fine here.”

“See he’s fine. Let’s just go.” DongHyuk muttered as he pushed past the Alphas and disappeared into the hallway.

“Hanbin I really don’t-” YunHyeong tried again.

“Hanbin’s right Song.” Jinhwan cut in from where he had been observing with a frown on his face. “He’ll be fine in here and in any case it can’t be you that stays behind. That would be rude.”

YunHyeong looked over at Hanbin helplessly before shrugging his shoulders in defeat.

“Still… I would feel better if someone was here.”

“As would I.” Jiwon agreed and Hanbin’s snapped his gaze to the Alpha in surprise. “But Jinani is right; it can’t be you.”

Jiwon paused for a moment and tapped his finger against his chin in thought. The room seemed to be holding its breath as he looked around at the assembled pack members.

“Ideally it would be DongHyuk, as the youngest Omega but… Chanwoo-ya could you stay behind?” Jiwon continued.

“But Hyung-?” Chanwoo began to protest.

“You don’t have to do anything. Just sit in the room with him.” Jiwon interrupted him.

“Yes Alpha.” Chanwoo conceded.

It was no secret he disliked the meeting process anyway. The maknae was probably only putting up a fight on principle rather and any actually yearning to go.

“There we are, that’s settled then.” Jinhwan clapped his hands. “Let’s head to the meeting before they think we skipped out on them.”

Junhoe clapped Chanwoo on the shoulder as he followed Jinhwan out the room and YunHyeong trailed after; giving Hanbin a weary smile over his shoulder.

Chanwoo threw himself down on the sofa with a huff, making Hanbin bounce with the force of his movement, and pulled out his phone to occupy his time. With no more distractions in the room Hanbin became aware of the prickling gaze of his pack leader.

Risking a look under his eyelashes Hanbin took in the tense posture of the other boy. Jiwon’s fists were clenched by his sides and it looked like he was trying to find some important words to say. In that moment Hanbin didn’t want to hear a word from the other. He didn’t want Jiwon to explain his strange behaviour and suddenly stop. Not now.

“You didn’t have to make Chanwoo stay. You can all go to the meeting and I’ll be just fine.” Hanbin said quietly but Jiwon still jumped as his voice broke the silence.

“Don’t question my orders when it comes to pack Beta.” Jiwon snarled. “Just stay put and don’t do anything stupid.”

With that Jiwon whirled on his heel and stormed out of the room leaving behind a trace of sourness from his angry scent. Hanbin sighed and sank back into the sofa. Anger he could deal with, whatever had been going on that morning was… yeah, anger was better.

“Why are you so damn stubborn?” Chanwoo shifted on the sofa beside him but didn’t look up from his phone.

“I just don’t want to cause more trouble than I’m worth.” Hanbin sighed and leaned his head back onto the cushions.

“You’ve got to look out for yourself Hyung. Jiwon Hyung is trying but he’s not going to think of everything.”

“What are you talking about?” Hanbin frowned at the sincerity in Chanwoo’s voice.

At Hanbin’s question Chanwoo’s head snapped up and the phone lay forgotten in his loose fingers. The other’s intense gaze travelled over Hanbin’s face before flitting to the door and back again.

“You don’t know about the hosts here? About how they… deal with Betas?”

Hanbin snorted at Chanwoo’s polite wording of the abuse that had been reported. Jinwoo’s words chimed through Hanbin’s mind as he thought over what Chanwoo was saying.

“That's not quite how I would put it but- wait... You know about all of that?” Hanbin asked, startled.

“Yeah. The WINNER Sunbaes came to see us after they found out we were coming on the show. They told us that the Hosts behaved inappropriately with Jinwoo Hyung so we should be on the lookout.”

“They told you that?”

“They told all of us when you were in the studio. Although I got the idea YunHyeong Hyung already knew something about it.”

“Well that explains the odd behaviour then.” Hanbin muttered.

“Odd behaviour? It’s a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, Hyung. Why didn’t you tell us about the possible problem? Even if it's very unlikely anything will happen.”

“I… I could have handled it. DongHyuk and Jinhwan have had their fair share of problematic interviewers and they didn’t need someone babysitting.”

“Use your head Hanbin. You’re a Beta. There aren’t laws protecting you; you don’t have pheromones to slow them down. You should have told us.”

Hanbin felt anger pulse through him at Chanwoo’s typically Alpha attitude. He was a Beta; not a child. There had been so many times in the past when Hanbin had ended up bleeding and bruised or unable to walk for a few days and the other members had simply looked the other way.

“Yeah? And why would I do that when you’ve all proved that you wouldn’t raise a finger to do anything about it? Why should I come running to the big strong Alphas when all you need me for is sex during your rut and a punching bad when you-”

The slap took Hanbin by surprise and his head snapped to the side with the force of it. After a few seconds of shock Hanbin looked between Chanwoo’s equally startled face and his raised hand. Hanbin pressed shaking fingers to the stinging patch on his cheek as he felt tears prick his eyes.

As Hanbin sat in silence cupping his tingling face Chanwoo let out a deep sigh and rubbed at his forehead in frustration.

“I know, alright. I know where you think you fit in the pack; where you’ve been forced to fit in the pack but… you are still pack. You belong to the pack and you need to just do what the Alpha says.” Chanwoo spoke softly.

Hanbin gulped. He knew where he stood in the eyes of the law, an unmated Beta with a pack, and how little his person was regarded other than property but to hear another member confirm his place broke something inside him. Hanbin had been clinging to the hope that even through the open distain of the pack he at least had some autonomy with iKON; that was all shattered now.

“Yes Alpha.” Hanbin bared his neck and focused his gaze on the floor.

“That’s not what I meant- Oh, forget it; just stay here and out of trouble.” Chanwoo huffed and returned to his game.

The sounds of gunfire from the mobile were the only sounds in the small room for a long time and Hanbin was beginning to get twitchy. Chanwoo’s strong scent was causing his cramping to flare up at the proximity to the Alpha as he was denied any touch.

Checking the clock and seeing the others had been gone for almost half an hour Hanbin decided he had time to find a drink before they returned. Chanwoo was engrossed in his game and didn’t notice as Hanbin slipped from the room.

Glancing up and down to make sure the hallway was clear Hanbin ventured down towards where he remembered seeing vending machines on the way in. Pulling some change out of his pocket Hanbin stood for a while to decide what he wanted.

He moved out of the way absentmindedly for a woman heading down the corridor and continued to ponder the options before he noticed the woman had stopped walking and was now looking at him curiously.

“Can I help you Ajumma?” Hanbin asked nervously as he took in the woman’s Alpha scent.

“Are you iKON’s Beta?”

“Yes. Kim Hanbin from iKON. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Hanbin bowed deeply to the older woman and tried to smile.

“Seyoon-sshi would like to talk to you before the show.”

The woman looked Hanbin up and down with a predatory gaze as she took a step forwards into Hanbin’s personal space.

“Thank you for letting me know Ajumma but I need to be getting back to my pack. They’re waiting for me and I said I would only be a minute.”

Hanbin began to back down the corridor towards where Chanwoo was waiting but the Alpha was faster and soon had Hanbin backed up against the wall and a tight grip on his wrist. Hanbin tried to struggle and loosen the grip but the Alpha strength of the woman meant it was impossible and the pheromones she released mixed with his hormones to leave him feeling faint and docile.

The breath caught in his throat as panic took over his body. Not again. This couldn’t happen again. Please someone help. Please…

The blood was pumping so fast in Hanbin’s ears that he didn’t even notice the woman dragging him down the corridor and away from the dressing room.

“Please… You don’t have to do this… Please.” Hanbin begged as he pulled against her grip.

“Shut up Beta. You can’t really say you weren’t expecting this to happen. Wandering around like an invitation."

Hanbin let out a whine as the woman tightened her hold and yanked him around the corner. Just as a large door was coming into view Hanbin tried to dig his heels in and stop the forward motion but it was too little; too late.

The Alpha had her hand on the door handle when a steely grip suddenly landed on Hanbin’s shoulder. The woman spun around but immediately sprung back and released Hanbin when she spotted Chanwoo standing behind him.

“What are you doing?” Chanwoo growled.

“Seyoon-sshi asked to see the Beta. I was simply bringing it to him.” The woman sniffed and let her eyes rove over Chanwoo in dismissal.

“I don’t recall my Alpha giving your pack permission to take him anywhere.” Chanwoo raised an eyebrow at the spluttering woman.

“Well I… my mistake. I’ll just leave him to you then.”

The woman then bowed before disappearing through the door. Hanbin turned to Chanwoo but the apology died on his lips as he took in the vibrating anger in the others frame.

Hanbin looked down at the floor and tried to fight the urge to reach out and run his hands over the maknae.

“What were you thinking?” Chanwoo spat.

“I just wanted a drink. I’m sorry Alpha.”

“Yeah well your little trip nearly ended in you being-” Chanwoo swallowed and visibly forced himself to calm down. “Are you okay?”

Hanbin rubbed at his wrist with his other hand and felt the small ache at the joint. His cramps had returned and he was feeling drained after the adrenaline left his system.

“I’m fine.”

Chanwoo spotted Hanbin’s rubbing and grabbed his wrist in an equally tight and painful grip. The Alpha scented Hanbin’s inner wrist and eyed the red skin before letting it drop and he herded Hanbin back to the dressing room with a hand in the cuff of his shirt.

When Chanwoo shoved Hanbin through the door to the room he wasn’t expecting to walk face first into a wall of solid Alpha.

“Where did you guys get to?” YunHyeong asked from where he was sprawled out on the sofa with Jinhwan.

“We umm…” Hanbin tried to search for words in his reeling brain.

He glanced up at Jiwon who he had bumped into before looking helplessly back at Chanwoo.

“Hanbin decided he wanted to go for a walk and nearly got dragged to Seyoon-sshi for who knows what.” Chanwoo explained dispassionately as he moved to join the others on the sofa.

“He what?” YunHyeong gasped and began to rise from the sofa.

Hanbin’s view of his Hyung was suddenly invaded by another muscular Alpha chest as Junhoe crowded Hanbin against the wall. A large hand settled around his neck and held Hanbin’s head up so he had no choice but to look the Alpha in the eye.

“Did what our pack leader said to you go in one ear and out the other?” Junhoe roared and squeezed Hanbin’s throat.

Hanbin tried to answer but nothing left his mouth and the pressure began to get painful as his air was cut off. Hanbin tugged at Junhoe’s hand but the other didn’t even blink as Hanbin tried to pry his fingers away.

“That’s enough Junhoe.” YunHyeong growled as he pulled the younger Alpha off.

Hanbin sank to the floor once he was released and the sudden flow of air made him cough uncontrollably.

“Gross. It stinks of Beta in here now.” DongHyuk sneered and covered his nose with his hand.

“Are you okay?” YunHyeong knelt down next to Hanbin and completely ignored the other’s comment.

“I’m fine Hyung.” Hanbin rasped out.

“You just sit still; I’ll grab you some water.”

YunHyeong disappeared to rummage through his bag before he returned with a bottle full of cold water. Hanbin took the bottle and drank slowly to sooth his throat.

“Is it going to bruise?” Jinhwan asked from over YunHyeong’s shoulder.

“I don’t think so.” YunHyeong replied as he pressed gentle fingers around the tender flesh.

“I should probably tell the stylist Noonas just in case they need to give him something with a higher neck.” Jinhwan explained before heading out the door.

“Why?” Junhoe spat from across the room where Jiwon stood with a restraining arm across his chest. “All it shows is an Alpha exercising his right to discipline his Beta.”

“Stop posturing Junhoe.” Chanwoo groaned. “We’ve got to film an episode today and we don’t need any rumours going around because you can’t control yourself.”

“Fine. Come and get me when we’re ready to go on.” Junhoe shoved past Jiwon and left the room.

In the silence that followed DongHyuk also followed the Alpha out the room. YunHyeong had begun to run his hands over Hanbin’s body to check for other injuries and Hanbin couldn’t help but lean into him with a sigh.

“Just ignore them. It will all be over before we know it.” YunHyeong whispered with a sad smile and picked Hanbin up to walk to the sofa.

Settling down to cuddle with YunHyeong until the filming started Hanbin berated himself for the mess he had once again caused within the group. Why was nothing simple? He really wasn’t good enough to be with the others, Beta or otherwise, he was the weak link that needed more attention than his fair share just to get through.

When filming finally got underway it had started off well. They had introduced themselves and the new album well. YunHyeong had deflected any untoward questions away from Hanbin and Hanbin had even been asked about his thoughts on the creative process which had caught him by surprise.

It wasn’t until the roller-coaster dance that things that begun to derail in a big way.

They had all been standing in a line while Shinyoung explained the concept of the dance and the prizes they could win. Hanbin had strategically placed himself at the end of the line furthest away from Seyoon, not wanting to tempt fate, but that left him open to Sangmin.

The older Omega was pumping out pheromones by the bucket load and it was beginning to make Hanbin woozy again. It also hadn’t escaped his notice that the Omega seemed to shift closer every few seconds until by the end he was almost pressed against Hanbin’s back. Hanbin tried to remain smiling at the camera without giving away his discomfort. This was for the fans; think about iKONics.

After a few false starts they got underway in the dance but Hanbin’s spinning head made the changes in tempo hard to track as his body ran off muscle memory. After his third stumble Shinyoung called for the music to stop and tell them they had failed.

“You look tired B.I why don’t you come and stand with us while the others run the dance?” Seyoon offered greasily.

“He’s our leader so we need him to succeed. We’ll be able to do it this time.” Chanwoo jumped in before Hanbin could even draw breath to reply.

“Alright then. We’ll go one more time for you to win the prizes.” Shinyoung agreed.

Now that Hanbin was more alert from the threat he had no trouble keeping up with the dance and they passed the challenge easily to win the prizes of beef and a customised travel kit.

After that corner was completed they all moved to sit down for the more comedic and light hearted section of the show. Hanbin was sat between Jiwon and YunHyeong so he managed to relax a little and enjoy the others fooling around.

Hanbin was almost hoping for the filming to finish without an incident when they moved onto an aegyo competition. All the members had groaned and tried to beg not to do it but the three MCs insisted with a persistence Hanbin couldn’t help but worry about.

YunHyeong, DongHyuk and Jinhwan passed easily and even Chanwoo had everyone laughing at his attempt. Hanbin was racking his brain to think of something to do when it reached him but all the classic ones had been taken by the others.

“I really can’t think of any.” Hanbin confessed when it got to his turn.

“Why don’t you act like an animal?” Seyoon suggested.

“Yeah, how about a cute little puppy?” Shinyoung added excitedly.

Hanbin gulped but tried to turn his hands into paws and widen his eyes into soft puppy eyes.

“No, no. Come out the front and do it.” Seyoon smirked.

Hanbin paused. None of the other members had had to move to do theirs. Everything in his body tensed as he looked at the Alpha’s self-satisfied gaze.

“I’m sure the fans want to see the original aegyo.” Sangmin agreed.

Hanbin took a deep breath and moved to the middle of the studio catching YunHyeong’s eyes as he went. Returning his hands to their ‘paw’ position and thinking of some witty sentence for a puppy to say. However, he was interrupted again.

“Why don’t you do it like a proper puppy? On your knees.” Seyoon grinned toothily at his suggestion.

“I don’t think that really necessary.” Hanbin protested quietly.

“Get on your knees Beta.” Seyoon’s voice hardened as he clenched his fists in his lap.

Hanbin looked back at the other members. YunHyeong and Jinhwan were having a silent conversation as they tried to work out how to discharge the situation.

“B.I has a bad knee so that probably wouldn’t be a good idea.” YunHyeong broke through the static in the air.

“Oh well that’s okay. Let’s just see the aegyo.” Shinyoung smiled pleasantly.

After Hanbin had completed the aegyo everyone had clapped and he had all but sprinted back to his seat. The rest of the recording past in a blur as Hanbin tried to stop himself hyperventilating and allowing the Alphas win.

Once they were finished everyone bowed to thank the staff behind the cameras and most of the members made a quick retreat to the green room. YunHyeong stayed with Hanbin and placed a supportive hand on the small of his back. Hanbin sent his Hyung a shaky smile and made his way out of the studio on trembling legs.

When they were all gathered Sangmin thanked everyone for coming and being so pleasant to work with. Hanbin lead the official thank you from iKON and then watched with a sinking heart as everyone slowly dispersed and he remained trapped in polite conversation with the three hosts and Jiwon.

“Well you four are welcome to hang around for a while longer but I have to head over for my radio show. Please excuse me.” Shinyoung bowed to each of them before setting off across the green room and out the door.

“It is getting quite late. Do you have another schedule you need to make?” Seyoon asked Jiwon but kept his gaze on Hanbin.

“No. We’re free for the rest of the day actually. It’s a nice rest between all the promotions.”

“Well the hard work is worth it. I think this album is really good.” Sangmin smiled slyly.

“Thank you very much. We’re all very proud.”

“I heard Hanbin is the writer of most of your songs?”

“Yeah. He has some uses for a Beta.” Jiwon joked but Hanbin saw a flicker of irritation over his face; the alpha must still be pissed from earlier. Not to mention Jiwon didn't like being reminded that he wasn't the only, or even main, producer in iKON.

Hanbin hunched his shoulders in on himself as the other men in the room leered at him. Seyoon even licked his lips as he dragged his gaze down Hanbin’s body. The act sent a shiver of repulsion through Hanbin’s body and the way the Alpha’s eyes lit up at the action made him even more terrified.

“I’m sure he can be very useful when he wants to.” Sangmin agreed.

“We work together on a lot of things.” Jiwon puffed up his chest in pride.

“I remember you had a solo album? That was very impressive shame it didn't do as well as it could have.” Seyoon added casually. “Should we be expecting a solo album from the Beta soon? Now, that would really break the industry.”

“I don’t think so.” Jiwon scoffed. “He wouldn’t know what to do with himself outside of the pack. Can’t even do as he’s told most of the time.”

“Oh... Betas can be very unruly just wanting to take dick all day long. Not all Alphas can cope with them; you have to be very strong for that.” Sangmin mocked. “No harm in struggling a little with a head strong one like him.”

Hanbin frowned, what was their goal here? They were just pissing off Jiwon. Jiwon had a healthy flush to his face as he struggled to control his fury at his dominance being questioned. Hanbin swallowed, whatever their plan it was working. If Jiwon got angry he was likely to storm off and… oh. Oh no.

“I can handle him just fine.” Jiwon grit out through his teeth.

“I’m sure you can.” Sangmin reassured. “I didn’t mean to insinuate anything but I had heard some rumours about him from the industry.”

“You know how people talk around here.” Seyoon shrugged.

“Yes. I know that all too well.” Jiwon clenched his fists as the two MCs continued to poke and prod.

“Can’t pay that kind of talk any mind but… I just thought from what they said... nevermind. But if you ever did need help with him I know a few people who specialise in Beta training.”

That was the final nail in the coffin and Jiwon surged forward to lunge at the host. Luckily Hanbin was able to get between the two and brace Jiwon to slow down his momentum.

“Get off of me.” Jiwon growled and pushed Hanbin to the ground.

“Alpha, please, you need to calm down.” Hanbin begged from the floor.

“Don’t you dare tell me what to do.” Jiwon roared before storming away from the group and out the door.

“Bobby-sshi, your Beta-?” Seyoon called out after Jiwon’s retreating back.

“Do what you want.” Jiwon yelled over his shoulder as he turned the corner.

Hanbin sat in a daze on the floor for a few moments as he tried to re-orientate himself. A shadow falling across his face drew him back to his surroundings and the two grinning men towering above him. Two men that had just been given permission to do what they wanted to him by his pack Alpha.

“No… please. I don’t want to… Please.” Hanbin tried to plead with them as he scooted backwards along the floor.

“Poor thing doesn’t know whether to beg for it or run after his Alpha.” Sangmin taunted. "Is his dick really that good?"

“Playing hard to get isn’t a good look on you, slut.” Seyoon sneered and reached out to grab Hanbin’s hair tightly.

The Alpha dragged Hanbin across the floor to the sofa where he sat down and pulled Hanbin between his legs. The pheromones the Alpha released were much more potent around his crotch and Hanbin could feel his restraint draining away. The submissive side of his Beta nature rising to the front of his mind in his stress.

“Look at you settling right into your place like you were made for this.” Seyoon hooted and slapped Hanbin’s cheeks a few times.

“He looks so good from this angle too.” Sangmin drawled from behind Hanbin.

“I’m sure but looking is only half the fun. Come here bitch.”

Seyoon grabbed Hanbin’s hair again and shoved his face between his legs. With one hand Seyoon unbuckled his belt and undid his fly. Each movement to reveal the man’s member made the musk increase to the point Hanbin was suffocating on the disgusting scent.

“Suck it.” Seyoon growled when he finally had his hard dick out of his trousers.

Hanbin’s mind urged him to obey the powerful and fertile Alpha above him but his body was repulsed by the scent. Not my Alpha; not my pack. Not right- Hanbin was cut off from thinking as Seyoon suddenly thrust down his throat.

Hanbin gagged violently and tried to supress the urge to bite down on the intrusion.

“Is he taking it all in?” Sangmin asked.

From the slick sounds echoing in the room Sangmin had also taken out his own dick and taken matters into his own hands while he watched.

“Yeah. It feels so good. Better than any brothel bitch for sure.” Seyoon groaned.

Seyoon then began to fuck Hanbin’s throat using the handful of hair and yanking his head forwards and backwards. After while Seyoon’s movements became faster and jerkier; the Alpha’s hips slamming into Hanbin’s face.

Pretty soon after Hanbin began to feel an extra stretch in his lips as the Alpha’s knot began to swell. Hanbin’s jaw ached and he was feeling nauseous as the Alpha crooned above him. Just as the stretch became unbearable Seyoon shoved Hanbin’s face down as his whole body locked up as he came in long, slimy ropes down Hanbin’s throat.

Feeling his throat constrict around the large member Hanbin began to panic as his air was cut off. Trying to pull away only made the Alpha hiss in pain and tighten his hold on the back of Hanbin’s head. As Hanbin continued to struggle Seyoon slid his hand down to the nape of his neck and squeezed over his scent gland.

The pressure made Hanbin go boneless in a matter of seconds as he was forced into submission by the Alpha’s touch in such a sensitive area. It was common knowledge that a certain grip on a Beta’s neck, one that emulated the mating bite, would make them perfectly submissive.

Mercifully the knot went down relatively quickly as Hanbin was soon shoved to the floor and Seyoon pulled out. Hanbin curled up on himself and worked his jaw a few times to try and ease the stiffness.

“Damn. That looked hot.” Sangmin breathed.

“I guarantee it feels even better.” Seyoon laughed and clapped Sangmin on the shoulder as they swapped places.

“Come here Beta.” Sangmin commanded.

Despite the pure revulsion rolling through his body Hanbin couldn’t resist the order and sat up on his knees in from of the Omega.

“Look at the desperate slut.” Seyoon sneered.

“Silly bitch doesn’t know what to do with himself.” Sangmin agreed. “Go on Beta. Suck me off.”

Hanbin dove forward and desperately took the second dick into his mouth. Sangmin let out a loud moan and tangled his fingers in Hanbin’s hair.

Sangmin was physically gentler than Seyoon as he let Hanbin set the pace and only nudged when Hanbin slowed down too much. Mentally, though, commanding Hanbin to pleasure him instead of just taking it broke something deep inside Hanbin.

Hanbin felt tears streaming down his face as the Omega manipulated him into acting like the whore everyone told him he was. The mix of scents in the air messed with Hanbin’s mind and the occasional brush against his neck kept him completely obedient to everything Sangmin asked of him.

When the Omega finally came with a bitten off yell Hanbin felt relief flood though him.

“Well I think we know why he has bad knees now.” Sangmin laughed as he tucked himself away and joined Seyoon in the middle of the room staring down at Hanbin.

Hanbin remained on the floor long after the two MCs had left; just staring at the bottom of the sofa as he tried to fight the tears.

Eventually the fear that someone else, or even worse someone from his pack, might find him in such a state drove Hanbin to push himself off the floor. Hanbin straightened his clothes and wandered down the hall in search of a toilet. It was better that no one found out.

Hanbin heaved a sigh and began the long task of cleaning the physical traces of his weakness from his body even if the memories would always remain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: also I was thinking of opening up my fan insta account for requests or just to chat.  
> I've seen other ppl doing it and it seems cool  
> Would that be something ppl are interested in? It really wouldn't be fancy and I don't really post (to busy liking my husband's pics).  
> But let me know x


	7. What goes around, comes around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this chapter is slightly different to what I've written before. It's got a more introspective vibe to it and I'm not sure I 100% like it... Like AT ALL. But... I wrote it so here we are.  
> I mean I literally have biceps on my fingers from how many times I've deleted and re-written this chapter. Let me know what you think of this style. I might edit it later but right now I'm kinda stuck and just want to move one to the next part.  
> Please leave a comments and Kudos, they are really appreciated.  
> I hope you like the chapter xxx

Hanbin sighed as he splashed his face with cold water. His hands were still shaking to the point everything felt slightly fuzzy when he touched it and the ache in his jaw only added to the misery his body was in.

Eyeing the soap dispenser Hanbin considered if it would kill him to chug the whole bottle; then maybe the stench of those creeps would be washed from him.

Instead Hanbin sighed again and focused on mechanically fixing his hair and clothes. The others absolutely could not find out about what had happened. They would either blame him for the whole incident or act like they cared. Both options would finally rip Hanbin apart completely and he wasn’t ready to face their reactions.

Deeming himself at least partly presentable Hanbin gripped the sides of the sink and hung his head. As much as he hated to admit it the cramping was gone and now that he was away from the pheromones his head was feeling clearer than it had all day. If he hadn’t been in season the whole thing might have been avoided.

Hanbin huffed out a laugh. Who was he kidding? Over the years many things had happened, most of them way worse than a few blowjobs, and he had always carried on. This time would be no different. Jiwon being the one to allow it made it no different, it couldn't.

“Stupid Alpha, with his stupid ego and stupid, stupid pheromones.” Hanbin cursed under his breath.

“Bin-a? Is that you?”

Hanbin immediately sprung away from the sink when YunHyeong’s voice echoed through the toilets. Frantically flattening out his hair again Hanbin coughed and pretended to wash his hands.

“Yeah Hyung. Just give me a minute.”

“Hurry up will you? We’ve been waiting to go for ages.” Jinhwan whined.

Hanbin glanced over his shoulder to see his two Hyungs standing in front of the door. Jinhwan had an exasperated look on his face and YunHyeong was smiling lightly with an arm thrown over the smaller.

“Sorry. I’ve just been bursting for the loo since we finished filming.” Hanbin lied easily as he moved to dry his hands.

“Take your time. I was just worried when Jiwon came back without you.” YunHyeong laughed.

“Aish, this Alpha.” Jinhwan teased gently and poked YunHyeong in the side.

Hanbin tensed at the mention of the other Alpha but prayed the others didn’t notice. Jinhwan and YunHyeong were often in their own world when they were together recently so it wouldn’t be a push. Unfortunately, when he turned to them Hanbin noticed a small frown spreading on YunHyeong’s features.

“Why did Jiwon leave you, Bin-a?” YunHyeong asked carefully.

“He- umm… Seyoon-sshi and Sangmin-sshi got to him a bit so he left… to cool off?” Hanbin stumbled through his explanation.

“He left you when you were still with-?” YunHyeong’s question was cut off by a growl when he stepped forwards and caught the scents on Hanbin’s skin. “What happened?”

Hanbin shrank in on himself in embarrassment. He sent a pleading look to Jinhwan in the hopes he would calm the Alpha down but his eldest Hyung had an equally concerned look on his face.

When Hanbin didn’t reply YunHyeong let out a deep breath and visibly tried to calm himself down. Hanbin noticed YunHyeong take a deliberate step backwards, giving him space, and there wasn’t even a trace of pheromones in the air. Hanbin appreciated how naturally YunHyeong knew what he needed, anyone else might have started producing pheromones to calm the ‘hysterical Beta’ and Hanbin was endlessly grateful YunHyeong wasn’t forcing him to do anything; even if it was only to settle him.

“Hanbin-a? What happened?” YunHyeong asked in a near whisper.

“I- the hosts… they… I gave them blowjobs.” There was no point in lying now that YunHyeong had scented him.

“Was there consent?”

Hanbin paused and thought over YunHyeong’s question. For anyone else the answer would have been simple but for a Beta the issue was complex and heavily politically charged.

“A Beta doesn’t have the right to say no.” Hanbin said simply.

“Bull shit.” Jinhwan growled and reached forward but YunHyeong put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

“Where was Jiwon when this was happening?”

“He had already left.” Hanbin looked down and shuffled his feet awkwardly.

“Hyung, please go and get Jiwon.”

Jinhwan looked between YunHyeong and Hanbin with anger clear on his face before nodding and slamming out of the room; making Hanbin jump at the sudden noise. It had been a long time since Jinhwan had shown this protective side. Since debut the older had been slowly withdrawing from their friendship but Hanbin had held fast to his loyalty for his friend, foolishly thinking Jinhwan would comeback to him.

YunHyeong took a step forwards but kept his hands raised as if he was approaching a wounded animal. Hanbin hated the pity he could see in YunHyeong’s eyes. He didn’t need to be pitied, he needed to move on and prove to everyone, and himself, that he wasn’t just a fragile Beta.

“I’m not going to do anything you don’t want but do you want me to scent you?”

“I’m not damaged Hyung.” Hanbin snorted and opened his arms in invitation. “This isn’t a big deal.”

YunHyeong let out a little rumble from his chest but proceeded just as slowly to pull Hanbin against him and push Hanbin’s head into the crook of his neck. Hanbin relaxed into the contact as YunHyeong’s hands rubbed gently up and down his back. Every brush of the older boy’s hands calmed the heavy and gross feeling in his gut until the scent of the hosts was completely gone.

Letting out a happy hum Hanbin allowed YunHyeong to pull away from him and inspect the rest of his body for injuries. When he was finished YunHyeong placed a small kiss on Hanbin’s forehead and visibly relaxed.

“See? I told you it wasn’t a big-”

“Don’t.” YunHyeong cut him off and Hanbin could see the anger blazing in his eyes. “Don’t say that.”

“What else can I say, Hyung? There is nothing else to be done.”

“Of course there is. We go to management or the police or something. You were assaulted Hanbin.” YunHyeong cried in disbelief.

“And say what? Don’t be stupid. They didn’t do anything wrong… legally anyway.”

“Then I’m going to go find them and teach them a lesson.”

“Hyung.” Hanbin pleaded and placed a comforting hand on YunHyeong’s arm. “Please don’t do anything. You think other groups haven’t tried to take action? Have you heard a single thing about a case against them? No. If you do anything about this there’s no telling how it will affect you, or iKON or even YG. We have to be sensible about this.”

“Fuck, Hanbin.” YunHyeong looked pale and ill as he pushed his hair back in frustration. “You just got… got… and you’re telling me to be sensible? Those bastards deserve to suffer.”

Hanbin froze at YunHyeong’s declaration. His loveable, caring and wonderful Hyung, that wouldn’t hurt a fly, was giving into his Alpha nature and the hatred that came with it. It broke Hanbin’s heart to see YunHyeong so unlike himself and he knew he needed to solve this issue as quickly as possible to protect them all.

“We live in a fucked up world.” Hanbin chuckled lightly. “It was just a blowjob; I’ll live. It’s better if we just forget about this incident altogether. The others definitely can’t know about it.”

As much as the words stuck in Hanbin’s throat and made him want to throw up he forced a reassuring smile onto his face. Cuddles and sweet words could come later when Hanbin had time to fall apart and curse the nature of the world around them but for now he needed to make sure his most precious people weren’t going to get hurt in the backlash.

“Hanbin-a, I can’t just-”

“Please, Hyung. Please do this for me. You said you wouldn’t do anything I didn’t want.”

“Hanbin I-”

“Please.”

“Okay, Bin, we’ll do want you want to.” YunHyeong agreed reluctantly and his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Hanbin was about to reach out and thank his Hyung when a knock sounded on the door and both boys’ heads snapped over to see Jinhwan returning with Jiwon.  
As soon as the Alpha stepped into the room Hanbin felt hot shame crawl up his throat and make his lungs tighten. Beside him YunHyeong tensed up and Hanbin could smell the angry pheromones slowly spreading through the air.

“You wanted to see me Hyung?” Jiwon asked casually and leaned back against the sinks.

“I just have one question for you.” YunHyeong’s voice had taken on a deep and ominous quality.

Hanbin shivered at the power and dominance behind the voice. Hanbin knew that YunHyeong was an extremely powerful Alpha and could easily have taken over the position of pack leader but his easy going and softer personality made him the perfect second in command. Now faced with the evidence of YunHyeong’s inner strength it stole Hanbin’s breath.

“Shoot.” Jiwon smiled but it was uncertain as the other picked up on the tension in the air.

“You left Hanbin. Why?”

“Are you serious right now?” Jiwon scoffed and looked around. When no one else in the room moved Jiwon rolled his eyes and continued. “I lost my temper a bit  
so I left to calm down so I didn’t punch a hole through one of their smug faces. You should be proud of me.”

“Proud of you?” YunHyeong’s tone was biting.

“Well, yeah. I didn’t lose it at them. I don’t get why you’re so angry.”

“So you just left Hanbin, our pack member, behind with the hosts? Did SeungHoon’s warning mean nothing to you?”

Hanbin felt his head begin to spin when Jiwon threw his head back and laughed. YunHyeong moved to step in front of Hanbin and for once Hanbin allowed and enjoyed the protection the Alpha offered.

“Come on Hyung. Hanbin isn’t Jinwoo; they wouldn’t mess with him. Jinwoo Hyung looks like a strong breeze will bow him over. It’s no wonder they tried their luck with him but not with Hanbin.”

“So the fact that Hanbin is our pack Beta and might need protect, from a threat our close friends warned us about, didn’t even cross your mind?” Jinhwan interrupted angrily and backed away from where he had been standing next to Jiwon.

“Why would he need protection? Chanwoo-ya already told them they needed my permission before doing anything. Besides we have no way of knowing why Seyoon-sshi wanted to see Hanbin in the first place. He expressed an interest in a B.I solo album, maybe he’s just a fan.”

Hanbin clenched his fists at how oblivious Jiwon was being, deliberately or not, and reached out to grab a hold of the back of YunHyeong’s shirt. YunHyeong glanced over his shoulder and his face darkened as he looked down at Hanbin.

“So leaving him was fine then? Because you were angry?”

“Yeah, I’ve already been over that. Not that it mattered because they needed my permission and I didn’t give any to-”

“Yes you did.” The words left Hanbin’s mouth before he even knew he was thinking them.

Everyone in the room froze at the quiet words. Hanbin’s breath caught in his throat as he realised what he had just done. He had been planning to keep that little detail to himself and looking up at YunHyeong and Jinhwan’s horrified expressions he couldn’t help but feel he had made a big mistake.

Finally shaking himself out of the shock Jiwon stepped forwards; hands raised in a placating manner.

“No, I didn’t. I wouldn’t ever do that.”

“You told them to do what they wanted.” Hanbin mumbled and looked down at where he was fiddling with YunHyeong’s shirt. “When you left.”

“When I left? No, I was talking to _you_. I said _you_ could do what you wanted and-”

Hanbin watched as Jiwon stopped talking and all the blood drained from his face. Seeing his pack Alpha in distress pulled at Hanbin to help; to sooth and care for a pack mate in pain. No matter what Jiwon had done, by accident apparently, he was still tied into the very fabric of Hanbin’s being.

“Why are you telling me this?” Jiwon choked out. “Please tell me nothing happened? _Please_? Not because I…”

“They assaulted Hanbin after you left.” YunHyeong confirmed.

“I think I’m going to be sick…” Jiwon moaned.

Hanbin stepped forward when the other boy folded in on himself and a strong scent of despair flooded into the room. A firm hand on his arm stopped him and Hanbin turned to see Jinhwan looking equally as pale.

Jinhwan shook his head and pulled Hanbin back. Hanbin understood. It wasn’t his place to interfere in this. It was pack business and he was a Beta here; not the leader. Discipline and control was the Alpha’s role to play and right now Hanbin had to trust that YunHyeong would follow his wishes and not do anything stupid.

“As the Second Alpha of this pack I declare the Pack Alpha, Kim Jiwon, to be a danger to the pack and unable to lead. I will assume command until a time I am confident the Pack Alpha can be trusted with the honour of leading our pack and protecting our members.” YunHyeong’s cold and formal voice was like a bolt of lightning through the quiet room.

“You can’t _do_ that.” Jiwon growled and struggled to his feet to lunge at YunHyeong despite still looking ill.

“I can and you won’t oppose me or I will remove you from the pack completely.” YunHyeong growled back.

“This is my pack.” Jiwon yelled at YunHyeong in desperation.

“Yes and you have failed it.” YunHyeong stepped forwards and got into Jiwon’s space. “Submit to me.”

Jiwon let out a strangled cry of pain and Hanbin winced in sympathy. He knew from experience how painful being forced to submit could be but he had heard that it was much worse for Alphas; Hanbin had heard it described as being close to electrocution.

“Submit.” YunHyeong roared again and Jiwon fell to the ground like a dead weight.

Hanbin watched in astonishment as the usually strong Alpha slumped onto his knees and bared his neck with a whimper. Jiwon’s entire body was shaking violently and his skin had taken on a yellow pallor. Sweat began to drip from his hair line and his teeth grit together as he fought to control the pain.

The sight broke Hanbin’s heart. Not just for Jiwon, Hanbin had to grudgingly admit that he deserved it, but to see his Hyungs acting in such an extreme and hurtful way to each other was something Hanbin had hoped he would never experience and especially if it was because of him.

YunHyeong took a few seconds to collect him and Hanbin could feel the moment the Alpha drew back his influence as the air in room became lighter; almost making Hanbin dizzy at the change of pressure.

“Let’s get out of here.” YunHyeong held his head up as he left the room, not sparing Jiwon a backwards glance, but Hanbin could see the fine tremble in his shoulders.

“Come on.” Jinhwan murmured and gently guided Hanbin past the still kneeling Jiwon with a hand on the small of his back.

The ride back to the dorms after that was incredibly strained and Hanbin was grateful for YunHyeong and Jinhwan acting as his bodyguards against the usual recklessness of the others. Despite not knowing what had happened Chanwoo also picked up on the tension in the atmosphere and added a third member to the Beta defence squad.

Jiwon had sat in the front of the van in a complete daze as the rest of the members tried to ignore the strange atmosphere around them. Even though YunHyeong had decided to wait to explain the situation to the pack they could also sense the shift in power between their Hyungs.

Junhoe had attempted to make the others smile but after Jinhwan had snapped at him for getting to close to Hanbin, even as a joke, the Alpha had shrunk into his seat and plugged in his earphones to listen to music.

Once they had arrived YunHyeong had informed the others that he would be taking over as the Pack Alpha and shot down any questions the rest of the members had. Having witnessed what had happened with the two most level headed members of their pack upon finding out Hanbin knew keeping the others in the dark would be for the best. After that they had dispersed quickly to avoid the desolate aura that hung over the two senior Alphas.

Hanbin had hidden himself in his room for the rest of the day; taking comfort from the security of his nest. By the time the sun was setting the cramps had returned and Hanbin was beginning to get hungry. Deciding he had spent enough time licking his wounds Hanbin shuffled out into the kitchen and was pleasantly surprised to find YunHyeong already plating Hanbin’s favourite meal.

“Hi Bin-a. I was about to come and leave this for you. How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay Hyung. I just needed some space.”

“Understandable. Do you want to eat in the living room and watch a movie?” YunHyeong asked with a strained smile.

Hanbin smiled back carefully. Being the king of avoiding emotions himself he could tell that YunHyeong was doing his share of avoiding too. It had to be hard for the pack loving Alpha to undermine Jiwon in the way he had no matter how necessary it had been.

“Yeah. That sounds great.”

Choosing a light comedy the pair enjoyed the meal and then curled up to continue watching. Studiously avoiding any heavy talk Hanbin enjoyed YunHyeong’s funny commentary on the movies and he was reminded of how they were back in their trainee days, more childish and carefree.

They had just begun their third movie when DongHyuk had returned from solo dance practise and sat down with them complaining about how much he ached. By the time they were on the fourth movie DongHyuk was fast asleep tucked up into on side of YunHyeong while Hanbin was beginning to doze on the other.

Hanbin startled awake suddenly when a loud ‘ _ding_ ’ sounded in the room. Drawing in a deep breath to register who was around him in the room Hanbin settled back into the warm side of the Alpha.

“Sorry, it’s my phone.” YunHyeong muttered as he began digging through his trouser pockets.

Hanbin blinked away the sleep from his eyes when YunHyeong sighed.

“What’s up?” Hanbin mumbled and leaned further into YunHyeong to scent along his neck.

“Chanwoo left his wallet in his room and needs to pay for his food at a restaurant. He wants me to bring it over and bring a car to pick him up.”

“Sounds like baby Channie needs you then.” Hanbin laughed.

“Will you be okay on your own?”

“I’ll be fine, Hyung. I’m home and, besides, Dong is right there.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better you know.” YunHyeong sighed and scanned Hanbin’s face before nodding. “If you’re sure you’ll be fine I’m going to head out. Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay Hyung.” Hanbin laughed and watched YunHyeong carefully remove himself from the tangle of limbs to pull on shoes and a coat before heading out.

“I mean it Hanbin-a, anything at all and you call me.”

“Yes _Alpha_.” Hanbin mock saluted the other and YunHyeong just huffed at the teasing.

Once the door to the dorms had closed Hanbin turned back to the movie and snuggled into the deep cushions of the sofa. A few minutes passed before a heavy weight landed on his shoulder and Hanbin looked down at DongHyuk drooling in his sleep.

Hanbin bit his lip against the wide smile that threatened to spread on his lips. The youngest Omega was always clingy when he was tired. When DongHyuk had first joined them as a trainee he had always come looking for Hanbin when he was feeling down or under the weather.

Hanbin sighed at the memories of how the other used to be before the strain of adult life began to change his behaviour. DongHyuk had become more independent, which was an important part of growing up, but he had also become cold and hateful as the years progressed.

Looking down at him now Hanbin felt the warmth of affection for DongHyuk spread through him. Their pack may be unconventional and problematic but the bonds of pack were strong and very hard to break. Reaching over, Hanbin dragged DongHyuk closer so the younger could rest against him more comfortably.

DongHyuk huffed in his sleep and turned to nuzzle his face into Hanbin’s neck. Allowing the Omega to sniff around his scent gland Hanbin gently brushed some hair out of DongHyuk’s face. As the breaths became deeper DongHyuk began to moan lightly and push in even closer to Hanbin’s body.

“Mmmm… Beta.” DongHyuk murmured.

“I’m here.” Hanbin whispered back and released calming pheromones to lull the Omega back into a deeper sleep.

DongHyuk went boneless and buried his face further into Hanbin’s neck before going completely still. Hanbin also stayed motionless as he stared down at DongHyuk. It felt good to have the other in his arms again after so long; DongHyuk had become so guarded in recent months that scenting the Omega had become almost impossible.

Seeing the tension drip off the Omega’s shoulders and the constant suppression of the pheromones ease off settled Hanbin’s heart. This was what he was made for, not giving head or bending over for anyone that asked, but caring for his pack and letting them become vulnerable when they needed. The feeling of being needed, if not wanted, was heady and Hanbin felt his heart flutter.

As the snuggle session continued Hanbin felt his earlier drowsiness return and his eyelids became heavier and heavier. Giving DongHyuk one last squeeze Hanbin leaned his head back onto the sofa and fell asleep.

Floating in his sleepy mind Hanbin didn’t feel when the Omega began to rouse himself. DongHyuk heaved a sigh and he climbed further into Hanbin’s lap.

“Hanbin Hyung. Smells so good, Beta.” DongHyuk’s sleepy mumbles drifted into Hanbin’s awareness.

Hanbin breathed in the Omega’s warm scent and felt the contentedness there. When DongHyuk lifted his head from Hanbin’s shoulder Hanbin whined and turned to snuggle back into the other. There was a moment of complete peace as Hanbin soaked up the nice atmosphere before he was suddenly shoved out of the dream world when his hip hit the floor. Hard.

“What’s going on?” Hanbin asked as he frantically looked around the living room for a threat.

“I’m not like you; I don’t need you to scent me or care for me.” DongHyuk shouted down at Hanbin as he leaped from the sofa. “I’m not weak like you.”

“Dong, I don’t think you’re weak. No one does. We just want-”

“Shut up. I’m not some Beta, I’m an Omega. I don’t need you or anyone.”

Hanbin watched, at a loss for words, as DongHyuk stormed out of the living room and disappeared into his room. The living room was suddenly cold and empty without the other to cuddle with and Hanbin scrubbed at his eyes to deter the tears gathering there.

He knew he shouldn’t be surprised by DongHyuk’s reaction but it still hurt to be rejected. The Omega had been the exact same a couple of months ago when DongHyuk had woken up in bed with Hanbin. The Omega had had a fever and Hanbin had been helping YunHyeong nurse him back to health, even getting sick himself, when DongHyuk had deliriously pulled Hanbin into the bed. Once the fever broke DongHyuk had woken up and pushed Hanbin away in his rage at being seen when he was weak.

When Hanbin was finally sure he wasn’t going to break down between the living room and his bedroom Hanbin dragged himself to his feet. Turning off the television and lights on autopilot Hanbin headed to his room and changed into his pajamas.

Curling up in his bed Hanbin breathed in the clean scent of washing; enjoying the fact that none of the other member’s scents or pheromones were present in his nest. Slowly calming himself down Hanbin tried to keep himself from overthinking about the events of the day and heading down the spiral of self-hatred he knew would come from it.

Sitting in the van that morning with Jiwon felt like it had happened a million years ago. Hanbin laughed at his own silliness. Of course everything had to go wrong right after he had let a little bit of hope enter his heart. Jiwon would probably hate him even more now that YunHyeong had taken over the pack because of him.

It had been a mistake after all, a stupid and disastrous mistake, but a mistake none the less.

Hanbin pulled his legs up towards his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees. Maybe he should leave iKON after all. He only seemed to cause issues with the pack.

Jiyong Hyung was always telling him that YG-nim was too in love with Hanbin’s talent to let him go and if Hanbin asked he was sure the CEO would debut him solo. Hanbin wasn’t under any allusion that he couldn’t succeed if he did go solo; despite being a Beta his fan base had slowly grown since debut and there were always articles about him online. Good or bad he had the attention of the South Korean media and that was all he needed to show the world his music.

On paper going solo would probably be easier than remaining with the pack but whenever Hanbin thought about actually leaving it made his heart ache to the point Hanbin thought he was dying. The members could be absolutely terrible to him, and Hanbin knew he deserved better, but they were still pack.

The bonds between pack mates was something deep and fundamental to an individuals health. Breaking them was extremely difficult and carried a lot of controversy. Hanbin could remember watching EXO's pack shatter, along with half of the world, when the three members had left. Everyone had expected the rest of the members to fall apart from the grief of the loss but by some miracle Junmyeon had been strong enough to not only keep them together but also help them succeed.

Rolling over onto his back Hanbin cursed his natural inclination towards pack. After all they had been through together, the memories Hanbin had with the others, while there was a lot of bad, were what had made Hanbin who he was and there were moments when Hanbin had felt complete. Working on choreography with DongHyuk late at night; hitting the gym with Junhoe; cooking with YunHyeong; pulling pranks with Jinhwan; gaming with Chanwoo and…

Hanbin paused and couldn’t bring himself to think about Jiwon. Everything was now tainted by the image of the Alpha crumpled on the toilet floor and Hanbin had so few truly good memories of the other that he wasn’t willing to give them up.

In all of his memories of the others they had been stolen moments when the other members seemed to forget themselves and let go. Moments when the aggression and strength that the culture demanded from everyone was a distant fleeting thought. Moments when the world had fallen away and they were just people.

Looking back at it now Hanbin almost slapped himself in the face with how clear it all was. When they were alone and someone wasn’t there breathing down the other’s necks they could be almost… pleasant.

YunHyeong had long been a source of support and friendship for Hanbin. His Hyung’s unerring love often mellowed out the others attitudes and Hanbin could live with just being ignored if YunHyeong was there with a smile and a hug when he needed. Hanbin had often questioned YunHyeong’s instant acceptance of him but never gotten enough courage to ask the Alpha outright; too afraid it would disappear if he did.

Jinhwan was more temperamental when it came to their relationship because it really depended on how stressed the other was. Jinhwan could either leap to his defence or walk away with a dismissive comment thrown over his shoulder; there was no in between. Hanbin knew that his oldest friend often struggled with his Omega nature and at times having a Beta there was just too much but he would try to make up for it at a later point.

Hanbin smiled at the memories of his small Hyung over the years. Scrubbing a hand down his face Hanbin tried to think objectively. Just because someone had been around for a long time or was a good friend occasionally didn’t make their actions okay. Thinking like that, no matter how rational and true, felt like a knife in his heart so Hanbin moved on from his oldest friend.

Between the outbursts Junhoe and Chanwoo were tolerable and Hanbin had learned to appreciate the subtle things when it came to them. Holding a door open; a water bottle offered after training or simply a nice greeting.

On the other hand, DongHyuk was one member Hanbin tried to avoid most of the time. Their interactions had become strained as of late and Hanbin didn’t want to cause the other more stress by forcing a relationship. Plus, even Hanbin needed a break from having to pretend the constant battering against his feelings didn’t hurt.

Hanbin huffed and flopped over onto his stomach as his mind began to run circles around itself. How many times had he spent sleepless nights trying to convince himself things weren’t so bad? How many times had he thought things would get better only to have it shoved back down his throat? Punching his fist into the pillow a few times Hanbin let his anger out and tried to keep from screaming in frustration.

Why couldn’t he have just been born any other dynamic and be done with it? No, that wouldn't have fixed anything. The world was so unfair and Hanbin couldn’t with all honestly say it was good for any of the dynamics. Alphas were expected to be strong and controlling to the point showing emotion was often criticised and YunHyeong had struggled a lot in the beginning. Omegas were meant to be tough but were also expected to birth children and support the Alpha. All in all the toxic culture of dynamic norms caused far more problems than it solved.

Shoving his face into his battered pillow Hanbin tried to block out the noise in his brain. Going all social warrior wouldn’t help anything if he couldn’t sort his own life out first. What had happened at the studio had only confirmed to Hanbin that something needed to happen and fast or Jiwon was going to end up doing something even worse one day. Cursing his brain for always circling back to Jiwon in the end Hanbin gave into the flood of memories that sped through his mind.

Jiwon was different when it was just the two of them. On the nights when they were trapped in the studio to finish a song Jiwon would listen to him; take his advice and use it to make something amazing. They made a good professional team, when Jiwon wasn’t busy posturing. It never went as far as being friendly with Jiwon in the same way Jinhwan, YunHyeong and Chanwoo could be but it was close to being nice.

Hanbin laughed out loud to himself. He was really just reaching for straws now and making excuses. The pack left an awful lot be desired and he really should leave them to surround himself with people that actually cared. As they had all proved time and time again they weren’t going to change any more than the government would announce a bill for the protection of Betas overnight.

Despite all of the knowledge of what he should do, Hanbin knew he wouldn’t. He just didn’t have it in him to leave the pack. All of the misery he had been through would be nothing to going through it all alone, and he would still go through it no matter where he was, if he left.

Hanbin thought back to the Beta girl that had come up to him at the fan meet and told him he had inspired her to continue her studies. Her words echoed tauntingly through his mind.

_“I wish I could make everything go away for you Oppa but the world is just too resistant to change. So all I can offer is my support.”_

Hanbin pondered the words. He had always thought the same but EunAe was going to study and Hanbin was a leader of a successful boy group. If that wasn’t change he didn’t know what was.

Leaving would definitely be easier in the short term but what about in the future? For future generations? If he didn’t stand up for himself now would it be left up to another thirteen year old trainee to suffer through the same abuse he had? Would Jiwon’s Beta kid be chased out of their own home for being themselves?

Hanbin hugged his legs tighter against himself and felt his resolve harden. He was talented and capable and the leader of iKON and he would not be chased away from his dream by anyone. YunHyeong had stepped up and come to Hanbin’s defence against Jiwon in a meaningful way for the first time.

Maybe all they needed was time. Time for things to settle and for change to creep in naturally until everything was different and irreversible.

Hanbin could give them time; after all he could already sense the change in the air. Whatever had happened that afternoon there was no going back from it, for better or for worse, they could only go forwards.


	8. Solidarity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This little gem was literally dreamed up by the events of WINNER's university show *cough* Jinwoo is a cute alcoholic angel *cough*. This comeback is the BOMB!  
> Please leave any comments or kudos you feel. They are really appreciated! Even if you just wanna chat.  
> Also a big thank you to YGgetanAttiude for helping me get through my writers confusion! Ily x  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter xxx

Returning to the studio and getting back to work was a massive relief for Hanbin. After the incident at Weekly Idol YunHyeong had barely given him space to breathe and Hanbin was ready to get back in control.

The cramps were also becoming unbearable without the distraction of work or the ache of over-taxed muscles to drown them out. The only good thing about a Beta’s Season was how infrequent it was, only coming twice a year, but that was little compensation for the month of discomfort while it was going on.

After a few hours of running the dances, Hanbin decided to move on to the new choreography he had been working on. Introducing new dances was always a mountain to climb when it came to the others because there was often a lot of push back.

The introduction and first verse had been blocked pretty quickly, and Hanbin was feeling confident that they could finish the dance with minimal problems. Ignoring the reason everything was going so smoothly, Hanbin kept his interactions with Jiwon strictly professional.

Jiwon, himself, had been sullen and quiet since they had returned to the dorms. Hanbin knew that YunHyeong had spoken with Jiwon at length about the pack situation, but he had been keeping clear of the other Alpha all the same. A mixture of fear and embarrassment choking him up every time he caught sight of him in the dorm or YG building.

As Hanbin crouched in front of the mirror to watch the others move through the dance, he couldn’t help but smile as the members nailed it. Turning off the music Hanbin grinned, ignoring the twinge in his stomach, and shared his good mood with Jinhwan and YunHyeong as the members dispersed to grab their water.

“Looks good. We’ll move on when everyone’s ready.” Hanbin called as he moved to check the video.

“Can I sneak a peek?” YunHyeong asked as he dropped down onto the floor next to Hanbin.

“Sure. It looks pretty tight if you ask me."

YunHyeong hooked his chin over Hanbin’s shoulder as they watched the video. Hanbin let his head fall against the Alpha’s and hummed as he scrutinised the dance; making notes of areas that might need to be adjusted later on.

“I don’t know how you come up with these things.”

“I’m sure you could do something if you had to.” Hanbin huffed and bounced YunHyeong’s head on his shoulder.

“Nope, don’t do that.” YunHyeong poked at Hanbin’s forehead. “Give yourself some credit.”

“Okay, okay. I’m awesome. Now let’s get back to work.”

YunHyeong laughed and stood up before reaching his hand down to help Hanbin up. Hanbin grasped the offered hand and stripped off his hoodie as he moved into the centre of the room to show the others what came next.

Once they had all gathered, Hanbin demonstrated the moves slowly and made sure they all had the count down. After they finished the verse, Hanbin pointed out their new positions for the chorus which left Jinhwan off to the side while the others bunched up into a group.

Nodding proudly at how his vision was coming together Hanbin told them to rerun it and walked back to turn on the music.

“This is stupid.”

Hanbin inhaled deeply and let his eyes flutter shut in frustration at Junhoe’s underhand remark. Turning back around, Hanbin crossed his arms and steeled himself to deal with the problematic Alpha.

“What did you say?”

“I said it’s _stupid_. Jinhwan Hyung should come forward for his part and the rest of us circle around him; it makes more sense with the lyrics.”

“The positions are important for the next section of the dance,” Hanbin explained calmly.

“Yeah, but how much difference can a couple meters make?”

“It’s not the distance that matters it’s the crossing over of paths as people-”

“I _still_ think it’s stupid.” Junhoe growled.

The Alpha took a menacing step forward and jabbed a finger into Hanbin’s chest as he spoke. The force behind the touch was enough to push Hanbin back a step, but he maintained eye contact with Junhoe.

“Stupid or not, we need to run this and get it blocked. If you still think it doesn’t work after that, we can try your idea.”

“We don’t need to try it. I’m telling you, it won’t be any good.”

“And I’m telling you we will try it. Now get back in position.” Hanbin stated firmly.

Junhoe’s face flushed red with anger, and he moved back into Hanbin’s space; looking down on him with a sneer. Hanbin held his hand up to YunHyeong when the other moved to intervene and raised an eyebrow at Junhoe; taunting him to take action.

“Whatever.” Junhoe huffed, finally backing down, and moved back to get into position. “Just get on with it, Beta.”

Hanbin sighed and pulled his beanie off to scrub at his hair in frustration; the cramping in his stomach increasing. It almost made him want to double over to alleviate the ache, but that would only invite teasing from the others.

Junhoe’s Alpha pride was still the same; the only difference in the last few days was the lack of physical actions that usually followed. There wasn’t a single new bruise added to his collection from the Alpha and, in fact, there wouldn’t have been any at all if it wasn’t for the acting trainee that had pushed him into a wall the day before.

Hanbin suspected YunHyeong had spoken with the rest of the pack after removing Jiwon from his position as Alpha, he had to have done, but Hanbin wasn’t aware of what had been said to stop the others asking questions. Whatever they had talked about it had done the trick in getting the others to lay off Hanbin for a while.

Shoving the hat back onto his head Hanbin turned back to the music player to queue up the song. Once everything was set up, Hanbin turned around to address the group.

“Okay, is everybody-?” Hanbin froze as he spotted the white knuckle grip Jiwon had on Junhoe.

Jiwon had leaned in and was speaking quietly to the younger boy so Hanbin couldn’t hear the exchange between them. Junhoe was twisting his arm uncomfortably under the tight grip Jiwon had on him but otherwise remained still.

Hanbin took an instinctive step forwards to get between them but stopped at the restraining hand Chanwoo put on his shoulder. Looking back over at the tense pair Hanbin could see that both Alphas we still in control and not likely to start fighting. It was probably just another form of Alpha posturing.

Before anyone else even seemed to notice, Jiwon released Junhoe and returned to his starting position; Junhoe glanced up at Hanbin before frowning and turning away to also get into his place. Hanbin tilted his head in confusion as he watched the scene in front of him. What was going on?

Chanwoo let go of Hanbin and patted him on the shoulder as he passed by; sending him a sympathetic smile. Hanbin swallowed as he watched the rest of the members get ready to rerun the song.

“Okay, we’ll take it from the top and add in the new parts. Don’t worry about the count, just try and get the feel.”

The other members all nodded and Hanbin pressed play. After running it a few times and calling out the mistakes to the others, Hanbin inserted himself into the dance. It all flowed nicely, and the others seemed to be picking it up quickly; Hanbin couldn’t wait to see how it would look in the music video.

Calling a break after a few more runs, Hanbin was wiping the sweat off of his face when he felt a presence behind him. At first, the Alpha pheromones of pack comforted him, they were soft and unassuming, so Hanbin smiled warmly to himself as he slowly turned around.

“I think I’ve earned the right to call myself awesome again- Oh, Alpha… I didn’t know it was you.” Hanbin quickly looked away from Jiwon and down at the floor, not wanting to break the truce they had all formed by angering him needlessly.

“No, it’s okay. I’m sor-” Jiwon coughed and cleared his throat. “I’m the one that… I shouldn’t have… We need to talk.”

Hanbin shivered at the command that overtook Jiwon’s voice, as much as it was watered down by the Alpha’s stumbling and the flush spreading on his face, the power still reminded Hanbin of how much control the other had.

“Yes, Alpha.” Hanbin ducked his head and inwardly cursed himself for giving in so easily. There was just something about Jiwon that brought his submissive nature out, especially when mixed with his messed up hormones.

“No, that’s not what-” Jiwon rushed to say but got interrupted.

“Here’s my favourite group of idiots.” A loud voice announced from the doorway and Jiwon sprang away from Hanbin.

“Minho Hyung.” Hanbin gasped in confusion.

“You know it.” Minho winked from where he leaned against the doorway and strutted into the room followed by the rest of WINNER. “What luck we got here just as you were taking a break.”

“Yeah, right. How long were you standing outside and listening in?” Jinhwan laughed and walked over to pull Seungyoon in for a hug.

“An embarrassingly long time.” Seunghoon muttered.

“Stop ruining my entrance.” Minho teased and lunged for the larger Alpha. “How dare you reveal my secrets.”

After a short tussle, Seunghoon easily had Minho in a headlock while the other struggled to pull away; landing playful punches on Seunghoon’s side. Seungyoon began to cheer Minho on with Junhoe as the older Alpha’s continued to mess about.

“Go on Minho; show him who's boss.” Seungyoon giggled.

“Don’t encourage him, please. It’s embarrassing.” Seunghoon groaned barely straining at all to keep Minho pinned.

“Shut up. You’re going down Hoony.” Minho taunted and began to twist in the grip around his neck.

Hanbin couldn’t control his laughter as he watched the Alpha’s begin to wrestle in earnest. The fighting pair knocked into YunHyeong who didn’t even pause before getting involved; egged on by Jinhwan. It was good to see the older boy being silly for once, the iKON Alpha’s were often too highly strung to get involved physically; even in a play fight.

“It’s good to see you smiling.”

Hanbin glanced to the side to see Jinwoo watching him with a slightly raised eyebrow and small smirk.

“It feels good, Hyung.”

“I was worried you would try to hide away again, after… everything.”

“How did you-?” Hanbin’s eyes widen in shock as he realised what the other Beta was talking about.

“Jinani told us.” Jinwoo held up a hand to silence Hanbin’s questions. “Don’t be mad at him. He was pretty shaken up about what happened and wanted to talk to me, as a fellow Beta.”

“Us?” Hanbin asked nervously after taking a moment to absorb what Jinwoo had told him.

“Hoony also knows, we weren’t exactly expecting Jinhwan to come barging in like that.”

Hanbin’s eyes flickered to the mating bite on Jinwoo’s neck and felt himself blushing as he looked back up into Jinwoo’s knowing gaze.

“So you and Seunghoon Hyung know?” Hanbin clarified.

“Yeah and because Hoony knows, of course, Soon-a knows which in turn means-”

“Okay, _okay_ , I get it, you all know.” Hanbin muttered and rubbed at his forehead.

“You really should talk to someone about it.”

“Hyung, I don’t think-”

“Why don’t we ditch these guys and just catch up? Go for lunch?” Jinwoo smiled easily and nodded towards the door.

“Hyung...” Hanbin tried to protest but the pout Jinwoo sent his way told Hanbin he would probably end up going anyway.

“Come on, it will be fun.”

Hanbin eyed the older boy sceptically and couldn’t help but notice the slightly forced smile. Jinwoo was definitely acting strange, and the fact that Seunghoon wasn’t draped all over him was a little disconcerting.

“Please?” Jinwoo whined and batted his eyelashes when Hanbin remained silent.

“Alright.” Hanbin agreed reluctantly. “Let me grab my jacket.”

Hanbin pulled on his long puffer coat and headed over to join Jinwoo by the door. The other members seemed occupied with sitting on Minho, who was pinned to the floor on his stomach, and didn’t notice Hanbin preparing to leave.

“I’m going to borrow Bin-a for a little bit.” Jinwoo called out. “Don’t have too much fun while we’re gone.”

The room suddenly became very still as everyone turned to watch Jinwoo wiggle his fingers in farewell and then pull Hanbin out of the room. Hanbin twisted around in Jinwoo’s grasp to wave to the others but spotted Jiwon standing off to the side and frowning.

As Jinwoo was closing the door behind them, Seunghoon caught the edge and joined them outside in the hallway.

“Hey, Woo-ya, where are you off to?”

“I thought I would take Bin to the new Barbeque place in the market.”

“Are you sure you’re okay to go alone? I can come with; I’ll just grab my jacket and-”

“Hoony,” Jinwoo reached out and grabbed Seunghoon’s arm to stop him. “we talked about this. I’m fine, and I’m with Hanbin-a.”

“Yeah, I know.” Seunghoon sighed.

Hanbin swallowed and tried to turn away to give the couple some space as Seunghoon pulled Jinwoo in to scent along his neck. Jinwoo let out a sharp gasp as the scenting became heavier and Hanbin had to breathe through his mouth to stop the potent Alpha pheromones affecting him.

Watching the intimate moment made a small, hard ball lodge itself in Hanbin’s throat. Jinwoo had definitely been lucky to get a pack like WINNER, or maybe they were fortunate to have a Beta like Jinwoo, either way, every time Hanbin saw them together he couldn’t help the small sting of jealousy that attacked his heart.

Once Seunghoon pulled away from Jinwoo, they kept holding hands for a while longer, and Hanbin eventually cleared his throat.

“If this place is good, we could all go together.” Hanbin offered, feeling guilty for separating the couple.

“No, it’s alright.” Jinwoo smiled and began to shoo Seunghoon away. “Hoony has to stay and sort something out anyway.”

“Yeah. You guys watch out for each other and stay safe.”

Hanbin fought a smile at the Alpha’s simple words. The genuine concern and affection that Seunghoon had for Jinwoo, and for Hanbin despite not being pack, was heart-warming.

“Yup, see you.” Jinwoo chirped and then resumed tugging Hanbin down the hallway.

“Bye, Hyung.” Hanbin waved as he was pulled around the corner.

“Is there anything else you want to do while we’re out?” Jinwoo asked as they headed for the lift.

“Not really; I’m good with whatever.”

“It’ll be fun. I found this place while I was out getting Seungyoon some squid – he always gets a craving for them around his heat- and it just smelled so good, so I went in and…”

Hanbin listened to Jinwoo chatting happily as they waited for the lift to arrive. Sticking his hands in his pocket, Hanbin realised it was empty; after patting himself down and still coming up with nothing, Hanbin turned to Jinwoo.

“Uh… Hyung, I left my wallet. You can head down without me, and I’ll catch up.” Hanbin spun around and headed back down the hallway without waiting for a. reply

“No, wait, Hanbin-a-” Jinwoo tried to lunge for Hanbin but missed.

“It’s fine, Hyung; just give me a minute.” Hanbin waved over his shoulder.

Hanbin had just rounded the corner of the hallway their studio was on when he registered the raised voices. Taking a few cautious steps forward, Hanbin recognised Minho’s voice, but before he could open the door, Jinwoo stepped in front of him; blocking the way.

“Its fine, Bin-a, my treat. Come on, let’s just go.” Jinwoo began to herd Hanbin back down the corridor.

The shouts followed them down the hallway, too muffled from the heavy-duty door to be made out, and Hanbin decided he probably didn’t want to know what was going on anyway.

They remained in tense silence until they were back in the lift and the doors had closed with a metallic shudder. Hanbin’s mind was working on overdrive to try and understand why Minho would be shouting; he really hoped that it didn’t have anything to do with the incident.

Hanbin felt a shot of dread run through him, what else could it be? Jinwoo had told him they all knew something had happened from Jinhwan but how much detail did they know? Trying to control his breathing and keep the panic under control as the cramping picked up in his stomach, Hanbin closed his eyes for a few seconds.

“Hyung, the thing Seunghoon Hyung has to sort out, is it-?”

“I’m sorry, Hanbin.” Hanbin blinked his eyes open and turned to look at Jinwoo. “I know you think you can deal with this yourself, but we had to do something; it’s bullshit the way they treat you.”

Hanbin flinched at Jiwnoo’s words. It was one thing for the others to say he was weak but for Jinwoo, a fellow Beta who knew what pheromones and instincts did to them, to say he couldn’t deal with it… Hanbin bit his lip to fight back the painful whine that wanted to escape and wrapped his arms around his stomach.

“We knew something was wrong when YunHyeong took over the pack, but we had no idea it was… _that_. I can’t believe they can allow someone to take advantage of you like that. It’s disgusting, and they don’t even deserve to call themselves Pack to you; it’s absolutely-”

“How _dare_ you!” Hanbin exploded, and Jinwoo jumped backwards; the complete change in Hanbin’s emotions taking them both by surprise. “They’re my pack, and you can think all you want about them but that doesn’t change a thing. They are _my_ pack.”

“Hanbin, you can’t be-”

“Serious?” Hanbin snapped. “I’m deadly serious. You have no right to meddle in my pack when you have no idea what is going on. They’re all struggling and now their Hyungs, who they idolise, are telling them off for something that isn’t even a big deal.”

Hanbin was panting by the time he finished yelling and Jinwoo stared back at him in astonishment. Neither of the Betas noticed the lift doors opening and closing as they arrived on the ground floor. Finally, Jinwoo’s eyes filled with sadness and he reached out to touch Hanbin’s arm in a comforting gesture.

After Hanbin flinched away from his outreached hand Jinwoo clutched it to his chest and continued to watch Hanbin with a stricken expression.

“Hanbin-a… What are you talking about?”

“What happened… it’s not a big deal, definitely not something you should be scolding them for, and YunHyeong is handling it.”

“How can you say what happened to you isn’t a big deal?” Jinwoo asked as his eyes began to brim with tears.

“Because it’s not. They also harassed you, and you’re fine. Just drop it.”

“Fuck, Hanbin.” Jinwoo scrubbed at his eyes in frustration as a few tears escaped down his face. “They slapped my ass. They fucking _raped_ you! Those two things aren’t even on the same level; how can you compare them?”

Hanbin paused and looked down at the floor to escape the devastation in Jinwoo’s eyes. He really didn’t understand why everyone was making such an issue about what had happened. There was nothing that could be done now and there probably never would be. The more everyone tried to drag it out, the more embarrassed Hanbin became, the weaker he looked to them. No wonder they thought they needed to intervene.

Looking back up at Jinwoo, Hanbin knew he had to get out of the confined space with the other. He was torn between going back up and stopping Minho from telling off his pack and heading out into the street for some fresh air. Hanbin’s head was throbbing, and the cramps had ramped up to the point he was struggling to breathe through the pain.

“I can’t… I can’t do this.” Hanbin choked out and jabbed at the button to leave the lift.

Once he was out in the busy street, Hanbin breathed a sigh of relief. Jinwoo was still close by his side and shooting him watery looks, but to the rest of the world, Hanbin was practically invisible. Society wouldn’t care about a Beta being used for a sexual favour, even if the said Beta was an idol, society wouldn’t care one bit.

“Hanbin-a.” Jinwoo reached out to grab Hanbin’s arm after they had been walking for a while and pulled him to the side of the pavement. “I’m sorry Bin. We should have spoken to you first instead of taking your choice away just like… like…”

“Don’t be silly, Hyung. It’s okay.” Hanbin really just wanted Jinwoo to drop it.

“I know you don’t want to talk about it right now.” Jinwoo took a deep breath. “But we’re here for you, whatever you need. I’m really sorry we tried to take over; I know you can take care of yourself. I was just scared.”

Hanbin felt the lump in his throat return. He understood where Jinwoo was coming from. Hearing horror stories of how Betas were treated on the daily news was different from seeing your friend go through it; it was absolutely terrifying how close the situation had gotten to being something much worse. Hanbin shuddered as he remembered how helpless he had been; how the hormones from his Season had completely overridden his mental defences in a heartbeat.

As much as Hanbin wanted to commiserate with Jinwoo and release all of the fear that was swirling around in him in one giant meltdown, it just wasn’t possible. If WINNER were getting involved, the company might get involved, and then it became a problem for iKON; not pack. If the issue started to affect the group, Hanbin would need to lead and be strong; this wasn’t a matter for a Beta but for B.I.

“You were just trying to help.” Hanbin said slowly as he tried to order his thoughts. “It’s had a big effect on all of us, so it’s okay to be scared. I’m- I’m scared, but there’s nothing to be done. I don’t want to think about it anymore.”

“Okay, Bin-a.” Jinwoo smiled sadly.

“Can we just go to lunch and forget about all this?”

“Yeah, we can do that.”

The walk to the restaurant was shrouded in a tense silence and Hanbin kept his gaze straight ahead with a steely determination. Jinwoo’s words had rattled him, and now that the anger had worn off, he was exhausted; the pain in his stomach had become even worse.

Once they arrived, they were shown to a private back room and brought the menus. Hanbin shrugged off his coat to hang up, but when he moved to sit down he couldn’t stop the hiss of pain that slipped past his gritted teeth. Jinwoo immediately whipped around and knelt down at Hanbin’s side.

“Bin-a? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Hanbin replied and tried to relax his cramping muscles.

Other than Jiyong, Hanbin had never told anyone about his Season. The assault had only proved how vulnerable he would be, and Hanbin had no desire to have the others sneering at his weakness when he was miserable and in pain too. Not that he thought they would, but it was hard to ignore the little voice of hatred that the culture had implanted in his brain.

“This isn’t nothing. Do you need a doctor?” Jinwoo kept pressing.

“No, it’s-” Hanbin swallowed. “Some warm water would be good.”

“Warm water? What do you-?” Jinwoo’s mouth fell open, and his eyes dropped to Hanbin’s middle. “Oh… are you…?”

Hanbin nodded and kept his face lowered when Jinwoo ordered a cup of warm water from the waiter. After the other man had left, Jinwoo settled himself beside Hanbin but left a comfortable space between them.

“Were you in Season when-?”

“Stop speaking in half sentences and just say it.” Hanbin barked out defensively.

“Were you?” Jinwoo asked again, utterly unbothered by Hanbin’s outburst.

“Yes.”

They remained unspeaking until the servers brought in the meats and side dishes for them to put on the grill. Jinwoo began to place the meat around the hot plate, and Hanbin watched the older boy’s movements in a daze.

“I think that just proves how capable you are then.” Jinwoo finally broke the silence.

“What?”

“I can’t even get out of bed without Seunghoon or one of the others helping me. If you can dance, sing, go on a schedule, and control your members while in Season." Jinwoo shook his head. "I can’t imagine how strong you are to do that.”

“It’s not about being able, Hyung, I just had to or there wouldn’t have been a spot in iKON for me.” Hanbin watched the steam curling off his water as he spoke.

“The others don’t know, do they?”

“Of course not. It’s not like you and Seunghoon. I don’t think I could bear it if one of them accidentally caused a response in my cycle.”

“Do you think they would force a mating with you?” Jinwoo asked, flipping the meat, and keeping his tone nonchalant.

“I don’t know, Hyung.” Hanbin whispered, feeling ashamed that he was revealing how dysfunctional his pack really was. “I  wouldn't mind being mated to them; they're my pack and I love them. I think I'm more worried that they just wouldn’t care.”

“You know you can get help outside of the pack? Some services offer Season relief centres or just a safe place to stay.”

“No, it would raise too many questions if I was seen there.”

“Who told you that?” Jinwoo frowned and snapped the tongs shut a few times. "What do you mean questions?"

Hanbin bit his lip and tried to fight the memory of that particular conversation from playing out in his mind. The overpowering scent of an enraged Alpha and large wandering hands taunted him on the edges of his mind as he refocused on the rising steam.

Jiwon and Junhoe had gotten violent plenty of times over the years and DongHyuk was as prickly as they came but they all paled in comparison to _that_ man. Hanbin shuddered as the memory resurfaced. Having seen the chaos that came from a couple of blow jobs Hanbin hoped the others would never find out about what had happened.

“I don’t remember now.” Hanbin dismissed lightly. “Not that it matters; I don’t really want to have sex with random strangers.”

“Okay, but if you change your mind, I can give you the number of a good one.” Jinwoo nodded and began to plate up the cooked meats.

“Thank you.”

“Of course.” Jinwoo grinned and then reached for a bottle of Soju. “Are you drinking?”

Blinking at the sudden change in topic, Hanbin let out sigh of relief that Jinwoo was letting it drop for now. Watching as Jinwoo unscrewed the cap of the bottle Hanbin considered if it was worth having a fuzzy head during practise and a hangover the next morning.

“I can’t, I’ve still got to go back and practise after this.” Hanbin laughed.

“Great, more for me.”

“Hyung… wait what are you-?” Hanbin watched in amazement as Jinwoo upended the bottle and had nearly drained half of it in a couple of gulps.

“You’ve got to learn to relax while you can, Bin-a.” Jinwoo raised a teasing eyebrow before having a more reasonable amount of the beverage.

“Whatever you say, Hyung, whatever you say.”

“Don’t be a brat and just eat.”

Hanbin smiled at his Hyung’s silly behaviour and finally dug into the various foods that covered the table.

The meal continued in the same light-hearted tone, and Jinwoo began to regale Hanbin with Seunghoon’s funniest moments from when they were courting. It was nice to just relax and talk about something other than work or how terrible things were for once. Even Jinwoo’s not so secretive glances that were full of concern weren’t enough to ruin Hanbin’s mood.

The worry for his pack members had reduced as he talked with Jinwoo, and once the hurt of being stepped over had left, Hanbin could see the benefits of having others talk to them. Hanbin had tried to make them see sense over the years but, as was the case with most prejudices, any arguments coming from the target of those views was next to meaningless even if they were perfectly logical.

When they had returned back to the YG building, Hanbin had felt like he was walking on air. The constant laughter that the other Beta had managed to drag out of him working wonders to raise his spirits.

After a lengthy goodbye, and promises to get in touch if he needed, a slightly giggly Jinwoo wandered off to find his pack; Hanbin couldn’t help but shake his head in amazement at the other. Jinwoo really was something else.

As he rode the lift back up to the floor where the others should be waiting in the dance studio, Hanbin couldn’t help bouncing on his toes in excitement. Hopefully, they could carry on from where they left off that morning. The dance was nearly finished, and the members had been relatively complacent to his orders.

Taking a deep breath, Hanbin pushed open the door to the studio and made his way over to his practise bag; calling out a greeting to the two others in the room as he went.

Jinhwan and YunHyeong returned his words happily and joined him around the sound system.

“Have a nice lunch?” Jinhwan asked with a smile but Hanbin could see something darker lurking in his eyes.

“Yeah. We _have_ to go back there sometime.”

“You bet we do.” YunHyeong huffed and bumped Hanbin’s shoulder with his own. “I can’t believe you went for barbeque without us.”

“And Jinwoo Hyung paid.” Hanbin added cheekily.

“Right, that’s it. Come here, Betrayer.”

YunHyeong lunged to get his arms around Hanbin, but the Beta had seen the move coming and was halfway across the room in a flash. Jinhwan soon joined in the chase, and Hanbin didn’t even try to fight the high pitched laughter that erupted out of him.

When the Alpha finally cornered him and lifted him up in capture, Hanbin felt the intense happiness of the moment pressing against his chest. His mouth hurt from smiling so hard, and the contented scents of his pack mates perfumed in the air.

“Let me down, Hyung.” Hanbin giggled breathlessly. “We need to get ready for practise.”

“The others aren’t even here yet, let me cuddle with my favourite Beta.” YunHyeong murmured and buried his face into the back of Hanbin’s neck.

“Where did they get to anyway?” Hanbin looked down at Jinhwan who was stealthily trying to take pictures for them.

“They went to the cafeteria; they should be back any-” Jinhwan began to explain.

“What on earth is that horrible smell?”

The three boys whirled around to face the door where the disgusted remark had come from. DongHyuk was standing in front of the rest of the members with his face creased in repulsion and a hand clamped over his nose.

Hanbin swallowed, so much for picking up where they left off.


	9. Resetting the curve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooooo everyone,  
> Who is out here really enjoying No one by Li Hee? Cos like me. Binnie looks so GOOD in the pink sparkly trousers; I'm living! But also its a banging tune.  
> Anyways... this chapter is jumping back on the smut train. Woo woo. I'm not sure what happened man... its an odd pairing but I've read a few fics with them and I think it's nice. IDK.  
> Any comments or kudos are really appreciated. I hope you enjoy the chapter xxx

Hanbin felt YunHyeong’s grip slowly loosen and he slid down to the floor as silence descended on the room. Everyone seemed to be staring at DongHyuk and waiting for the Omega to elaborate on what he had said; even the others that had arrived with him were looking on with shock.

“What?” DongHyuk scoffed, and crossed his arms. “Don’t tell me you can’t smell it?”

Jinhwan looked back at YunHyeong; over Hanbin’s shoulder with a raised eyebrow. Hanbin didn’t see the Alpha’s response as he kept his gaze fixed on the other members that had just arrived. After a few moments Jinhwan turned back around and took a few deliberate breaths in through his nose.

“I don’t smell anything. Maybe the drain is blocked in the toilets down the corridor?”

“Yeah, maybe it’s that Dong-a.” Chanwoo agreed eagerly and slipped past the group huddled in the doorway; looking extremely uncomfortable.

“Maybe.” DongHyuk pursed his lips and looked Hanbin directly in the eye as he spoke. “I can’t think of anything else that would smell that bad.”

Hanbin swallowed to try and get some moisture back into his throat; sadness settled in his stomach like an enormous spikey weight. The others may not have realised what DongHyuk was insinuating or they may have been deliberately ignoring it, but Hanbin could smell the heavy scent of his excitement hanging in the air of the studio.

A Beta’s scent was naturally more subtle than that of an Alpha or Omega, and rarely strong enough to be detected unless directly scenting the Beta. The sweet notes that floated around him seemed to mock Hanbin as he felt the final swirls of the strong happiness fade away from his grasp. It hurt that DongHyuk had so vocally rejected his scent, and the happiness that came with it, in front of the others. It served him right for thinking anything could go his way when it came to his members.

“I’ll let the reception know on our way out.” YunHyeong kept a forced brevity in his voice as he patted Hanbin on the shoulder. “Ju-ne, why don’t you put on the air conditioner for now?”

“Yes, Hyung.” Junhoe glanced at DongHyuk, where the other had moved to firmly situate his mask over his face, before heading over to the control on the wall.

Hanbin remained standing in the centre of the room, somewhat shell-shocked at the sudden change in emotions in the room, as the others bustled around to get ready for practice again. YunHyeong squeezed Hanbin’s shoulder again before he headed over where Jinhwan was bent over his bag, but Hanbin remained routed to the spot.

Hanbin watched in shock as his two Hyungs had a quiet conversation while they stripped off their jumpers. Their heads were almost touching as Jinhwan whispered urgently into YunHyeong’s ear; seemingly very agitated about what they were discussing. Finally jolted out of his daze when Chanwoo passed in front of him, Hanbin wandered over to the sound system to find the right songs.

As the practise got back underway Hanbin tried not to dwell too much on the other member’s sullen moods. He knew it had to be his fault, whether it was from the scolding from WINNER, or from DongHyuk’s outburst- it all came back to him.

They were part way through running a song, a few hours later, when DongHyuk seemed to finally lose his patience. The younger boy had been shaking finely for the better part of an hour and everyone was on edge as they kept an eye on the Omega. Clearly having reached his limited DongHyuk ripped the mask off his face and rounded on Hanbin.

“Are you trying to fucking mess with me?” DongHyuk growled and shoved Hanbin in the chest.

Winded Hanbin could only stare at the other in confusion and shock. DongHyuk was often the first to offer up a biting remark but he had never really become violent before.

“Well?” DongHyuk pushed him again. “I can't stand being in the same room as you. What is your problem?”

“I- I- I…” Hanbin stuttered and tucked his arms around his waist as the cramps immediately flared back to life and ripped through his gut.

“Answer me!” DongHyuk roared; the aggressive scent that flooded Hanbin’s scenes pulled a whimper from his throat and Hanbin bared his neck.

“Back off, Hyuk.” YunHyeong snapped, gripping the Omega by the shoulders and walking him backwards until he was pressed against the cold mirror. “That is no way to speak to Hanbin-a, who is your senior and leader, or anyone else in fact.”

“What is wrong with you?” Jinhwan glared over at the pinned Omega before walking over to join Hanbin and pull him in for a hug.

DongHyuk set his jaw and remained stubbornly silent as the other members watched the altercation in silence. Hanbin twisted into Jinhwan’s hold to scent along his Hyung’s neck, desperate for the comfort, and turned away from DongHyuk’s angry gaze. Hanbin was aware of the others continuing to argue with DongHyuk but he was much more interested in trying to bury his face in Jinhwan’s shoulder. Maybe if he covered himself in the other’s warm scent it was cancel out his and allow DongHyuk to calm down.

Raising his face up for a second to draw in a new breath, Hanbin’s gaze locked with Junhoe’s. The younger Alpha had remained in his position but was clearly fighting to control his temper if the clenched fists and slight flush were anything to go by. Once the other realised he had Hanbin’s attention something dark flashed through his eyes; making Hanbin flinch away.

“Hanbin-a, what’s-?” Jinhwan tried to pull away a little bit to get a good look at him but Junhoe took the opportunity to lunge forwards and grab Hanbin.

“Are you doing it on purpose?” Junhoe’s fingers bit into Hanbin’s heaving shoulders as he towered over the Beta. “Are you trying to upset DongHyuk as some form of petty revenge? Don’t you think-?”

Junhoe and his steely grip suddenly disappeared from Hanbin’s space and Hanbin blinked rapidly to try and understand the new position he found himself in. His back was pressed back into a corner and there was a broad back shielding him from the rest of the room.

Hanbin decided not to question what was going on and forced himself to take some deep breaths to fight against the now screaming pain in his stomach. Dropping his head to rest between the shoulder blades of the Alpha in front of him, Hanbin focused on the rattle of air in his throat. A hand reached around to rest against his hip in a reassuring gesture; blocking him off even more.

“Don’t touch him.” Jiwon growled low in his chest, and Hanbin could feel the vibrations in his entire body.

“Enough! All of you.” YunHyeong shouted from across the room; causing everyone to freeze as the complete power of his Alpha was release along with his words. “Everyone back down and get control of yourselves. Now!”

Hanbin could hear a few whimpers and thuds as bodies fell to the ground in various places throughout the room but the solid wall of Alpha; of protection; of concern remained sturdy in front of him. Feeling the strength and safety that emanated from the body crowding him in, Hanbin rubbed his face over every inch of the broad shoulders that he could reach.

A deep rumbling started up from the firm body beneath his forehead and Hanbin whined as it settled something inside of him and made his body turn to jelly. The strong pheromones and comforting noise soothed the cramping in Hanbin’s stomach; reducing it enough for him to finally draw in a complete breath.

“Jiwon-a?” YunHyeong spoke cautiously. “Jiwon, I need you to step aside and let me check him over.”

Jiwon tensed up again and Hanbin felt his own body responding; readying itself for fight or flight. Digging his fingers into the tender flesh of his abdomen, Hanbin forced himself to lift his head and try to assess the situation.

YunHyeong was standing a few metres away with his hands raised in front of him in a non-threatening gesture. The other members were in various stages of collapse around the room, apart from Jinhwan who seemed to be on the phone to someone. Seeing that Hanbin had begun to peer around the room from behind Jiwon’s back YunHyeong changed his approach.

“Hanbin-a? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Hanbin replied shakily and Jiwon growled lowly as YunHyeong began approaching again.

“Do you think you can relax so that Jiwon can calm down a bit?”

 _Relax_? Hanbin inwardly snorted at how casually YunHyeong asked him to do the impossible. Hanbin’s mind was spinning from the angry pheromones in the air and his stomached was gurgling in a mix of pain and anxiety.

“Hanbin-a?” YunHyeong took another step forward; causing Jiwon to tense up further, and Hanbin knew he had to act or the situation would only escalate.

“I- I- Give me a minute.”

Releasing the bruising grip that he had on his own skin, Hanbin slipped his hands onto the trembling back in front of him. Jiwon seemed to flinch at the action but stilled afterwards; remaining wary and perfectly attuned to Hanbin’s slow movements.

Hanbin dragged his hands over the Alpha’s body and tried to project a calm he didn’t really feel into the room. After a while it seemed to be working well enough for Hanbin to step out from behind Jiwon, but he kept his hand resting on the other’s arm as he turned to face YunHyeong.

“Okay?”

Hanbin laughed at the heavily loaded question. Was he okay? No. Could he pretend to be okay for the few moments it took to flee the room? Doubtful but possible.

“Yeah, I think so.” Hanbin exhaled, and forced a smile.

“What the hell is going on?” Jinhwan’s frustrated voice cut into the uneasy calm they had all fallen into.

Jiwon seemed to jerk away from Hanbin as the Omega made his way over to them. Hanbin watched Jiwon slowly withdraw completely out of the corner of his eye and wrapped his arms back around his middle. The skin where the Alpha had been in contact with him felt cold now that the other was no longer in his space.

“I don’t know.” YunHyeong sighed, and rubbed at his eyes stressfully. “We’ve all been on edge but I’ll talk to Junhoe and DongHyuk about what set them off.”

“You should do more than talk.” Jinhwan muttered. “I can’t believe this.”

“I agree.” YunHyeong nodded. “I’m sorry that happened, Bin, I’ll deal with it. You shouldn’t have to put up with this.”

“Okay, Hyung. I’ll leave that with you then.” Hanbin smiled shakily and dug his fingers into his lower belly to try and counter the pain from inside.

Taking a few unsteady steps away from the others to grab his bag and hopefully escape, Hanbin kept breathing deeply and tried to ignore the questioning gazes on his back.

“Leave? Where are you going?” Jinhwan asked.

“We should call off practice for today and I have something I need to do.” Hanbin brushed off the frowns from the others and hauled his bag up onto his shoulder; already scrolling through his phone to try and find Jiyong’s number.

“Are you sure you should be doing anything right now?”

“Jinani Hyung is right,” YunHyeong agreed. “You look pale, Bin-a, are you coming down with something?”

“I’m fine, Hyung, but I really need to deal with this.”

“Don’t be silly. I’ll take you home and we can chill, just the two of us. Yeah?” Jinhwan started to head over to his own bag but Hanbin felt his chest tighten in panic.

It frightened Hanbin more than he expected it would that Jinhwan wanted to come with him. There was one time Hanbin would have jumped at the chance to share another part of himself with his oldest friend but now it was too scary to even fathom. Jinhwan had only just started to accept him for who he was and Hanbin wasn’t prepared to risk losing him again or scaring him off.

The cramps and anxiety were becoming overwhelming and Hanbin knew he was going to need some help to get through his Season; especially after the incident in the studio. Jinhwan meant well but he was also an incredibly proud Omega and Hanbin didn’t know how he would react to Hanbin at his most vulnerable.

“No, Hyung, thank you but I’d rather be alone right now.”

“But Hanbin-”

“Hyung, Hanbin wants some space.” YunHyeong pulled Jinhwan into a loose hug before turning back to Hanbin with a sad smile. “If you need anything, you know how to reach me?”

“Yes, Hyung.” Hanbin returned the smiled and fiddled with the strap of his bag. “Thank you.”

YunHyeong nodded and Hanbin wasted no more time hanging around in the stuffy room. Practically sprinting out of the room, Hanbin turned in the opposite way he would go if he wanted to leave the building and kept going until he was out of breath. Finally slowing down, Hanbin leaned back against the wall and slid down into a crouch.

Pulling his phone back out of his pocket and Hanbin dialled Jiyong’s number; begging the other to pick up under his breath.

“Hello?” Jiyong’s tired voice sounded over the line.

“ _Hyung_.” Hanbin whined in relief.

“Hanbin-a? What’s going on?” Jiyong seemed instantly more alert and Hanbin could already feel his worry beginning to recede knowing his Hyung was going to help.

“I need… I need your… bathtub.”

“My… Oh, tell me where you are Bin, and I’ll come and get you.”

Hanbin recited his hiding place and then sat back to wait for Jiyong to arrive; wrapping his arms around his knees. Jiyong kept him on the phone, chatting mindlessly in the back ground as he drove over. Once he arrived, Jiyong herded Hanbin back into his car; taking care to spread his scent over Hanbin’s skin and cover up the sourness of Hanbin’s fear.

Once they were both settled in the car, Jiyong leaned over the centre console to rummage around in the backseats. Grabbing what he wanted, Jiyong sat back down and Hanbin was suddenly hit in the face with a hoodie.

“I grabbed this from the laundry on the way out.” Jiyong explained with a smile as he released the handbrake to drive out the garage.

“Thanks, Hyung.” Hanbin smiled back and buried his face into the fabric.

“Don’t mention it, Bin-a.”

They sat in silence for a while as the buildings flashed past the windows before Jiyong reached forward to fiddle with the radio. Hanbin blanketed himself in the oversized hoodie and rested his head back against the chair; releasing a sigh.

When Jiyong pulled into his building’s parking he turned off the car but continued to sit in his seat; fingers clenched around the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead. Hanbin watched the other boy and waited for him to gather his thoughts.

“Hanbin-a… I know you have your reasons for wanting to deal with things on your own but… but I- I’m here for you, and I worry about you.”

“I know.” Hanbin started down at his lap and picked at his nails.

“I want you to _trust_ me, and come to me when you need help, but it goes both ways. I need to trust you to come to me when something happens. If anything happened to you…”

“I’m sorry, Hyung, I do trust you; you were the first person I called today but… well, it’s complicated with my pack but-”

“Ha, pack.” Jiyong scoffed and Hanbin bit his lip at the derision in his voice. “It always comes back to pack, doesn’t it?”

“What’s wrong with pack?”

“Maybe I’m just biased but I always thought it was an outdated tradition. Nothing good comes from pack.”

Hanbin turned fully in his seat to take in Jiyong’s profile in the shadowed car. He knew that the members of BIGBANG had never formed a pack, despite pressure from the media and company to so, and part of that was Jiyong’s resistance to the idea.

Jiyong had been one of the first omega leaders in the industry and it was a testament to his resilience and talent that the band had become one of the best known groups in the country. Hanbin had infinite respect for his sunbae; in the past, often longing to be closer and more comfortable with the older boy.

When Jiyong had been chosen as their coach in the survival show Hanbin had embraced the new relationship between then with relish. His friendship with Jiyong had been an anchor for him throughout the years and the shift from mentor to friend had been a saving grace to Hanbin at his lowest moment.

“Maybe…” Hanbin agreed wistfully.

Jiyong frowned and opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when Hanbin hunched over; releasing a pained grunt. His cramps were getting worse, and now that he as being taken care of, his instincts were beginning to insist he was taken care of in… _other_ ways too.

“Alright, enough talking. Let’s get you upstairs so we can deal with your cramps, alright?”

“Sounds good.” Hanbin groaned and clutched at his stomach.

Jiyong chuckled before sliding out the door into the echoing garage. Hanbin took several deep breathes and stuffed his face into the old hoodie again to inhale the comforting scent of the Omega.

“Up you go.” Jiyong spoke gently as he helped Hanbin out of the car and supported his weight while he locked up.

Jiyong continued to hold Hanbin, tucked up against his side as they made their way up to his apartment. The intimate contact causing the thrumming need to increase until Hanbin was shaking in arousal.

Hanbin allowed himself to be guided through the hallways; trying to keep the noise down as they went. When they reached the door Jiyong propped Hanbin up against the wall and unlocked the door before helping Hanbin inside. Slipping off his shoes Hanbin shuffled over to the fancy sofa and collapsed heavily onto the cushions.

Ruffling Hanbin’s hair as he passed by, Jiyong headed into the kitchen. Hanbin heard murmured voices coming from the room and realised someone else must be home as well. That made what Hanbin wanted to ask for a little bit trickier.

“Youngbae is here too but I can get him to head out if his Alpha Pheromones with make you uncomfortable.”

“I don’t mind… as long as you don’t.” Hanbin shifted to try and hide his erection under the hoodie he was still clutching.

Jiyong’s eyes flicked down to Hanbin’s lap before he raised an unimpressed eyebrow and smirked back at Hanbin before disappearing again. Swallowing down his nervousness Hanbin forced himself to sit still under Jiyong’s penetrating gaze.

“Do you want me to run that bath for you now? Or do you need… something else?” Jiyong asked as he came back in.

“A bath sounds good.”

“Are you sure about that?” Jiyong settled down next to Hanbin and spread his legs; resting one of his hands alarmingly close to his crotch.

“I-” Hanbin gulped and couldn’t stop his eyes tracking Jiyong’s hand as it rubbed up and down his thigh sensually.

“Tell me what you want, Bin.” Jiyong spoke in a deep, sultry voice.

“I want it all to stop.”

“Alright, Bin.” Jiyong’s eyes softened, and he reached out to Hanbin. “Come here.”

Hanbin whined but pushed himself to his feet. Jiyong gripped Hanbin’s hips and spun him around before pulled Hanbin down to sit on his lap. Jiyong’s hands swept up to massage Hanbin’s belly and Hanbin groaned; letting his head fall back.

“Spread your legs for me.” Jiyong murmured and moved Hanbin’s legs to hook them over his own.

“ _Hyung_.”

“I got you.”

Jiyong continued to rub his hands firmly over Hanbin’s cramping muscles and began releasing pheromones. The soothing contact settled the pain in Hanbin’s stomach but only served to ramp up the desires swirling through his blood stream.

Hanbin felt his shirt being tugged up over his head and he raised his arms to allow Jiyong to strip the garment off easily. Jiyong’s warm hands then skimmed up the bare skin of his torso; making the skin jolt at the teasing touch.

A sudden hard pinch to his nipples made Hanbin groan and arch into the touch. Jiyong continued to pinch and twist Hanbin’s nipples; dipping his nose into crook of Hanbin’s shoulder to scent him as he went. The warm finger tips released the sensitive nubs and trailed down Hanbin’s ribs to rest on his hips; pulling Hanbin back so his ass was pressed tightly against Jiyong.

“Ji, I’m just going to- Oh, sorry you two.” Youngbae’s voice startled Hanbin but Jiyong flattened his hands over Hanbin’s chest to keep him pinned.

The smell of an Alpha tugged at Hanbin’s gut, he both longed for an Alpha but also wanted to shrink away from the slight wrongness of the scent. It wasn’t his Alpha and right then Hanbin felt too vulnerable to deal with anyone else.

“It’s alright, I was just getting him more comfortable.” Jiyong guided Hanbin’s head down so he could hide in his neck. “Where were you planning to go?”

“Probably to the studio.”

“Sounds good. I’ll call you when I know more about what’s going on.” Jiyong’s hands continued running over Hanbin’s heaving chest.

“Sounds good.” Youngbae leaned down to press a chaste kiss to Jiyong’s lips. “Man, it’s still trippy to see you acting like that with him. I don’t get to see you being soft too often.”

“It’s not often I have a Hanbin in my lap.” Jiyong laughed.

“Hypocritical much?” Youngbae’s chuckles grew fainter as he left the room to grab his coat.

“What are you talking about?”

“You nearly ripped Seunghyun’s head off when we tried it that one time. Damn possessive Omega.”

“You liked it, Alpha.”

“You _know_ I did.” Youngbae popped his back into the room with a wide grin. “I’ll catch you later. Have fun.”

Hanbin listened to the sounds of Youngbae shuffling around in the hall and the door slamming shut before finally relaxing fully into Jiyong.

“All alright?” Jiyong mouthed along Hanbin’s neck.

Hanbin nodded and scented Jiyong’s neck one last time before pulling away. Jiyong smiled and scraped his nails back up to tug on Hanbin’s nipples again; dragging out a pleasured moan from his lips.

“You want to keep going?”

“Hyung…” Hanbin whined and couldn’t help grinding back.

“Hey, hang on just a second.” Jiyong turned Hanbin around again so he was sitting sideways on Jiyong’s lap and they could face each other. “How bad is it? What do you need from me?”

“It’s…” Hanbin exhaled heavily. “It’s bad, Hyung, I need everything. _Please_ …”

“Alright, Bin-a.” Jiyong smiled and patted Hanbin’s butt. “Up you get.”

Hanbin climbed to his feet warily and watched as Jiyong dragged his eyes up and down Hanbin’s chest. Jiyong got to his feet and circled around so Hanbin couldn’t see what the other was doing behind him. The anticipation made Hanbin’s heart pound as he waited to see what would happen.

Suddenly Jiyong’s hands pressed against his shoulders and lower back; forcing Hanbin to bed down over the arm of the sofa. Jiyong continued to slide his hand down Hanbin’s spine and forced his chest down against the sofa cushions.

Shivering at the feeling of being dominated, Hanbin revelled in the knowledge of everything being taken out of his hands for a little while. Jiyong nudged Hanbin’s feet wider with his leg and then slipped his hand down to rub between Hanbin’s clothed ass cheeks; pressing down on his hole.

Hanbin whined and tried to push back against Jiyong’s hand. Jiyong slapped Hanbin’s ass and then griped his hips to pull him back.

“Strip off while I go and get the supplies.” Jiyong ground down once more before heading into his bedroom.

Hanbin took a few moments to collect his breath before pushing himself up on shaky arms. Unbuttoning his jeans, Hanbin pushed them down off his hips and stepped out of them; bending down to pick them up. Not knowing what to do Hanbin folded and re-folded his clothes trying to distract himself from his nakedness and raging erection.

“Back over the sofa, Bin.” Jiyong ordered as he returned to the room and dumped the supplies on the table.

Getting back into position Hanbin tried to crane his neck and catch a glimpse of what Jiyong had chosen. Jiyong stopped him looking around with a firm hand on the back of his head; pushing his face down into the cushions.

The Omega pulled back and grabbed handfuls of Hanbin’s ass. Squeezing and tugging on the firm muscle before slapping it and starting the cycle all over again. Hanbin began to rut against the rough fabric, pumping his hips into the friction and then back into Jiyong’s hands.

The pleasure began to coil in Hanbin’s gut and moans tumbled from his lips as he worked his hips quickly.

“That’s it, Bin-a.” Jiyong rumbled and pulled Hanbin up so his back was pressed to Jiyong’s chest.

Jiyong snaked a hand around Hanbin’s neck and pulled his head back; his other hand trailed how Hanbin’s body to his straining dick. Taking a tight grip, Jiyong began to work his hand up and down Hanbin’s length with a twist every so often that had Hanbin whining.

“Go on, let go for me.”

Hanbin began to shake as pleasure overwhelmed him and his orgasm crept up his spine and out into his entire body in a series of fireworks. Jiyong continued to work Hanbin as he came to drag out the gratification of the release; sucking hickeys on his shoulder blade as they stood locked together.

When Hanbin finally calmed down Jiyong pressed one last kiss to his neck and then pushed him back down onto the sofa. Hanbin went easily; carefully avoiding rubbing his sensitive dick along the material. He was still unbelievably hard, despite having just come all over his Hyung’s hand, and the lack of any compatible mates to release pheromones and sooth his desire meant it would probably be a while longer before Hanbin could find true relief.

While a Beta could mate with any of the other dynamics, they were more likely to bond with an Alpha or Omega. The other dynamics produced more dominant hormones that would influence the Beta’s Season to present as a complementary mating cycle, a Heat or a Rut.

Jiyong, as an Omega, helped sooth Hanbin’s Season when it got too much but there was no chance of a mating between the two. Jiyong had mated with Youngbae as soon as they both reached sexual maturity, a few months before they debuted when Youngbae’s Rut triggered Jiyong’s first heat, and it was almost impossible for another to join a mating bond after it was consolidated.

Slick fingers prodding at his entrance pulled Hanbin back out of his head and into his pleasantly humming body. Jiyong slid a finger inside and twisted the long digit around to spread the lube along his walls; the drag of his fingers sending small tingled down to his balls.

Hanbin floated happily as Jiyong stretched him out and fondled his balls to add to the building pleasure, so intense it was almost painful. When Jiyong had four fingers pumping in and out of Hanbin’s dripping hole, Hanbin felt a nudge to his prostate and his whole body seized up as his second orgasm surged through him.

“That’s it. You’re so sexy, Bin.” Jiyong sighed and wiped his fingers off on Hanbin’s ass.

Pulling away, Jiyong moved off and Hanbin heard him picking up and putting down several things on the table. Blinking his eyes open Hanbin turned his head on the sofa; hissing at the fabric burn on his cheek. Unable to catch a glimpse of anything Hanbin closed his eyes and pressed his face back down to wait.

Hands appeared on Hanbin’s ass again and soothed the heated flesh. Hanbin pushed back into Jiyong and tilted his hips up to try and urge the other to give him more attention; the ache of being empty beginning to restart the cramps.

Something cold and hard running up his crack made Hanbin moan again and Jiyong chuckled. Pressing the head of the dildo against Hanbin’s rim, Jiyong pressed the toy on the twitching muscle; twisting it slowly to really tease the younger boy.

After a little bit more teasing, Jiyong pushed the flared head of the toy in. Hanbin let out a loud keen as the width of the dildo stretched him out, almost unbearably, until it narrowed down to a more manageable amount. Hanbin heaved in breaths as his body relaxed but Jiyong didn’t give him much time to adjust before he was forcing the large dildo back out.

Hanbin’s voice caught in his throat as Jiyong kept up the steady pressure on the dildo until his muscles gave way and it popped out. Jiyong repeated the thrusts at a torturously slow pace and Hanbin was sweating with the strain of keeping still.

As Hanbin began to adjust to the large toy, Jiyong picked up the pace and force behind the thrusts. Hanbin whined and shouted as Jiyong pounded the toy in him but never got deep enough to tip him over the edge.

“Please, please, please.” Hanbin chanted and tilted his hips back in desperation.

“Fuck, you sound wrecked.” Jiyong groaned. “You’re being so good, Bin-a.”

“Please… _Alpha_ … Ji-.”

Jiyong cut Hanbin off by shoving the dildo in suddenly; the second flared part stretching past Hanbin’s rim before locking itself inside and pressing against his prostate. Hanbin’s mind went completely blank as another orgasm thundered through him and stole his breath; a loud ringing sounding in his ears.

As his senses began to return to him, Hanbin whined as his felt the dildo still being moved inside him.

“Hyung! Too much, please, too much.”

“Not yet, Bin-a, you’re doing so well.”

Jiyong continued to work the dildo until Hanbin was shaking through yet another orgasm; his dick jerking uselessly as a few drops dribbled out. Once the aftershocks finally stopped coming, Jiyong stilled the dildo buried in Hanbin’s ass.

Hanbin continued to rock backwards onto the toy; whining as he still felt the insatiable horniness making him tremble in desperation.

“Easy, don’t work yourself up.”

“Hyung, please… I need-.”

Hanbin screamed as a strong vibration shot through him; the pressure on his prostate making it difficult to breathe as everything assaulted him at once. Jiyong cooed at him and ran his hands soothingly along Hanbin’s flank.

Hanbin bucked and pleaded with Jiyong as the vibrations hurtled through him, his body not physically able to accept anymore input. Collapsing completely onto the sofa; letting out defeated whimpers, Hanbin pressed his forehead into the cushions.

Jiyong rounded the sofa and sat down beside Hanbin’s head. Picking Hanbin’s shoulder’s off sofa, Jiyong slid underneath him and began to run gentle fingers through his hair.

“That’s right, settle into it. You were made for this.”

Hanbin froze and felt everything in him tense up in panic. The words echoed around in his mind; changing and distorting from Jiyong’s encouraging voice to a cruel taunting.

_You were made for this. Made for this. Made-_

Suddenly there wasn’t enough air in the room and tears flooded down Hanbin’s face as he desperately tried to get away from the hands in his hair. Hands that pulled and forced and scratched.

“Fuck! Hanbin? Bin? Talk to me.”

Jiyong scrambled to pull the vibrator out but it was all too late, Hanbin felt a final orgasm rock through him and he sobbed as he shook through it. Jiyong threw the toy away from them and gathered Hanbin into his arms gently. Hanbin took heaving breaths and continued to noisily sob into Jiyong’s shoulder as he curled around the Omega.

“Hanbin, you’re safe here. You’re with Hyung, in Hyung’s house. No one can get you here.”

Slowly, Hanbin began to calm down as Jiyong gently rocked him and kept whispering soothing words. The awareness of his surroundings began to trickle in and Hanbin shook his head to clear the malicious voices out of his mind.

“Bin? Are you back with me now?” Jiyong kept his voice low and light.

“Yeah, I-.” Hanbin’s voice cracked in his abused throat. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologise to me. Who did this?”

“Hyung, I can’t-.”

“I don’t need details, just tell me who.” Jiyong’s voice was so sincere and confident, devoid of the anger or blame that any of the others had, and something about it struck Hanbin. “Please, Bin-a, trust me.”

“Weekly idol.” Hanbin whispered.

“Seyoon and Sangmin?” Jiyong’s expression hardened.

Hanbin nodded and he wrapped his arms around himself defensively. Jiyong worked his jaw as he thought about Hanbin’s admission; after a while Jiyong nodded to himself and stood up from the sofa.

“Come on Bin, let’s run that bath for you now.”

“Wait, Hyung… that’s it?”

“You’ve had enough excitement for one night.” Jiyong smiled. “Let me take care of you?”

“What are you going to do?” Hanbin asked worriedly as he allowed Jiyong to pull him up onto shaking legs.

“Just leave it to me, Bin.”

“ _No_ , Hyung.” Hanbin pulled his arm out of Jiyong’s grip. “I’m _tired_ of people thinking they know what’s best for me. I can handle this.”

“I know you can but I want to help.”

“Why?” Hanbin asked in disbelief.

“Because you’re my friend and whatever they did to you was wrong. I can’t just stand by and watch you struggling.”

“What can you do? I’m just a Beta; no one will listen to you.”

“Beta, or not, you’re a human being that deserves to be treated with respect. If this happened to Jinwoo or Hanbyul would you tell them to just forget about it?”

“Don’t do that…” Hanbin angrily rubbed at the tears gathering in his eyes.

“What? Why are you different to everyone else?”

“I…”

“If you can’t do this for yourself, let me do it to help others. Please?”

Hanbin’s lip trembled and he looked away from the determination and hope in Jiyong’s eyes. He didn’t hold out much hope for anything happening; in fact, it may even make things worse, but Hanbin knew he would never be able to look his sister in the eye again if he didn’t do everything possible to make her life better than his. He hated that another thing in his life was now out of his control but Hanbin had to admit Jiyong had a point.

“Okay, Hyung. Do what you feel you have to.”

“Thank you.” Jiyong smiled.

Hanbin nodded and turned to head into the bathroom, he needed some space before the nice buzzing in his head was completely shattered. As the door closed behind him, he heard Jiyong dialling someone on the phone and he quickly turned on the taps of the tub to drown out the conversation.

It was better not to know; at least then there was nothing to get his hopes up.


	10. Things get heated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings everybody,  
> Sorry this is late, I was busy with a competition over the weekend and then struggled to finish this chapter (I'm lazy), but I hope you enjoy it now.  
> Any comments and Kudos you leave are greatly appreciated. And don't be afraid to add me on twitter @Giraffaholic1 I would love to hear from you and chat.  
> I hope you like the chapter xxx

After Hanbin was finished in the bath Jiyong made sure he ate before driving him back to the dorms. The tension from the argument made the drive extremely awkward and Hanbin was out of the car before it had even stopped moving; calling a farewell over his shoulder as he went.

When he arrived in the dorms, Hanbin found YunHyeong and Jinhwan cuddled up on the sofa watching television. Keeping his answers to their questions vague enough to let them know he was back safely, but not give away where he had actually been, Hanbin excused himself quickly; claiming exhaustion and disappeared into his room for the night.

Settling down into his cool sheets, Hanbin let out a deep sigh and allowed his head fall back against the wall. It was getting exhausting having to keep hiding his needs while also fighting every single one of his screaming instincts to just curl up with his pack members and hide.

Before it had been easier to manage, only letting his vulnerable out around Jiyong or Jinwoo, but now that his Hyungs were being more vigilant it was harder to keep everything separated. Not to mention the fact that Hanbin’s Season had been getting progressively worse as he got extra attention from the others; being constantly surrounded by dominant pheromones but not mating was playing havoc with his body.

Hanbin sighed again and slipped his hands down to press on his stomach. The cramping was already starting up again despite Jiyong’s help and the glorious bathtub at his apartment. Hanbin was considering getting some warm water and maybe a hot water bottle when a knocked sounded at his door.

“Come in, it’s open.” Hanbin called out, assuming it was YunHyeong come to check up on him.

As the door slowly opened, Hanbin shifted into a more upright sitting position in the bed and looked down to check his sleep shirt was presentable. Straightening out the loose fabric, Hanbin smoothed his hands down his chest until a clearing of a throat, that was definitely _not_ YunHyeong, made him snap his head up to the door.

Jiwon was standing there; his shoulders hunched and his hands shoved into the pocket of his hoodie; nervous energy pouring off his body. Hanbin nearly tripped in his haste to get out of bed and he stumbled over towards Jiwon before freezing in the centre of his room. Shifting awkwardly, Hanbin wondered what the best way to get Jiwon out of his space would be; without annoying the Alpha.

“Um… Hanbin-a, I was wondering if we could talk. If it isn’t too late, of course.” Jiwon ran his hand through his hair nervously.

“Sure, Alpha. Are YunHyeong and Jinhwan Hyung still in the living room? If you just give me a moment; I’ll meet you out there.”

“I think they went out for dinner but, actually, what I wanted to talk about if kind of… _private_. So we can just do it here.” Jiwon didn’t even wait for a reply before moving to sit down on the edge of Hanbin’s bed.

Hanbin turned slowly as he watched the Alpha pass him and remained standing in the centre of the room as the other boy made himself comfortable. Jiwon fiddled with the duvet and shifted around uncomfortably in a way that put Hanbin on edge. Hanbin’s lips twitched in discomfort as the Alpha took complete control of Hanbin’s safe space without a second thought.

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk but… maybe…”

“Please, Hanbin-a, this is something I need to say and something I think you need to hear too.”

Hanbin swallowed past the tightness in his throat and forced himself to nod. He could listen to what Jiwon had to say and then still have time to wash his sheets before it got too late, the feeling of invasion would still remain but at least the smell would be gone and that was better than nothing.

Jiwon stared back at him from the bed and Hanbin realised he was still standing in the middle of his room and not saying anything.

“Of course, Alpha.” Hanbin rushed to reply and pulled out his desk chair to face Jiwon.

“You don’t have to call me that.” Jiwon winced at the title Hanbin was still using. “This isn’t about iKON or the pack, well I guess it is, but it’s mostly just between us. I mean me, I’m the only one at fault here so…”

Hanbin’s eyes widened in shock at Jiwon’s stuttered words. He wasn’t entirely sure what the other would want to talk about but it certainly wasn’t this. The Alpha seemed so unsure and confused; the whole room seemed to simmer with the nervous energy the older boy was putting off.

“Alph- Hyung, what are you talking about?”

“I need to apologise to you about… well, everything but I think the- the… _you know_ , would be a good place to start. So, I’m really sorry that that happened to you and that I played a part in it. I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Hanbin.”

“You’re… apologising?” Hanbin sat back in his chair in shock as he noticed the tears forming in Jiwon’s eyes.

“I know it’s not nearly enough; I would have come to you sooner but I didn’t have to courage to face what I had done, what I have been doing, to you.”

“Alpha… I-”

“You don’t have to say anything. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness but I wanted you to know. I can’t make up for everything but, anything you want; I’ll try to do it. I’ll leave iKON, YG or… even the pack if you want.”

Hanbin bit his lip at the crack in Jiwon’s voice as he spoke. Hanbin knew what Jiwon was offering would probably never happen, it wasn’t really up to them anyway, but the fact the Alpha had even thought about it enough to offer was a complete surprise.

As much as Hanbin had suffered in the past, the Weekly Idol incident being the least of his worries, he had never wanted to lose his pack. Jiwon’s apology really didn’t fix much but it was a step in the right direction and it showed a willingness to change at least.

Taking a deep breath, Hanbin looked up into Jiwon’s eyes and saw the despair there. Jiwon probably thought Hanbin would demand he left; after all he could only think like an Alpha and YunHyeong had already displayed his willingness to remove Jiwon from the pack.

“Hyung, I don’t want you to go.” Hanbin whispered.

The relief Jiwon gave off at his answer was palpable in the air, mixing with the jitteriness, and Hanbin couldn’t help but smile a little. Jiwon seemed incredibly happy he didn’t have to leave and Hanbin was touched at how much the Alpha had been willing to give up, his career, his home, and his pack when he had clearly been dreading it.

“Thank you, Hanbin-a, thank you so much.” Tears were freely running down Jiwon’s face as he seemed to crumple in relief. “I really can’t thank you enough. I’m _so_ sorry all this happened and I really mean what I said, I’ll do anything you want.”

“I just want to be treated normally.” Hanbin spoke around the lump in his throat; fighting against tears of his own. “I want respect as a leader and as a person. I want to feel safe around my pack. I want- I want to forgive you but…”

“But you can’t.” Jiwon nodded and wiped at his eyes in embarrassment. “I understand, I’ll never stop working to make it up to you.”

“Okay.”

“I mean it, just give me the phone number of your legal team and I’ll make myself available. I’m surprised your lawyers haven’t contacted me already, but if you’re keeping me out of it because of some misplaced loyalty you don’t have to. I’ll testify against the hosts; I don't care what people say about me.”

Jiwon was back to being twitchy and nervous and Hanbin frowned as he watched the Alpha shuffle around on his bed. The other’s scent was also getting stronger as they sat in the room together and Hanbin felt his cramps beginning to get more powerful again.

“You don’t have to do that.” Hanbin smiled reassuringly.

“Of course I do, those bastards deserve to spend a long time in prison for what they’ve done.”

“Maybe,” Hanbin nodded, Jiwon’s desire to help made him feel warm inside. “but there isn’t a legal case so you don’t have to worry; it would be bad for the group image anyway.”

“What are you talking about, Hanbin-a? What do you mean ‘there isn’t a legal case’?”

Hanbin sighed and shifted in his chair. He wasn’t sure how much Jiwon knew about Beta rights and the legal situation, but he assumed it wouldn’t be very much. If the way YunHyeong and Jinhwan had reacted was anything to go by, and Jiwon’s display earlier in the dance room, it probably wouldn’t go too well when he found out either.

“Yeah, there’s no legal case because nothing illegal was done. Beta’s don’t have consent laws.”

“ _What_?”

“Well, it’s a-”

“No! What- what are you talking about?” Jiwon shouted as he leaped up from the bed and loomed over Hanbin, confusion giving way to fury.

Hanbin pressed himself back into the seat to escape Jiwon’s anger. The Alpha growled and paced back on forth in the room; clenching and unclenching his fists as Hanbin watched.

“And YunHyeong _knows_ about this?” Jiwon hissed and spun back around to point accusingly out the door.

“Yeah.”

“What the fuck? How can this be a thing?”

Hanbin shrugged and wrapped his arms around his middle defensively. Jiwon scoffed and went back to pacing; pausing to run his hands roughly through his hair. Hanbin looked down at his lap and waited for Jiwon to come to a decision.

“Are you serious? There's no legal protection?”

“Yeah.”

“Then- Then we have to do something.” Jiwon sat back down on Hanbin’s bed with a sigh. “We could… go to Manager-nim; if he’s on side we could get YG to do something.”

Hanbin felt his chest tighten and his heart was squeezed up into his throat. Even the thought of _that_ man finding out what had happened made his breathing pick up and Hanbin felt himself start to shake.

“No, Alpha, please. You can’t- Please.”

“Woah, Hanbin-a, what’s wrong?” Jiwon suddenly appeared in front of Hanbin and knelt down to get at his eye level.

“Alpha, please, you have to promise you won’t tell anyone.” Hanbin leaned forward and gripped Jiwon’s arms as he begged.

“Okay, okay but Hanbin-a what-” A deep growl interrupted Jiwon and angry Alpha pheromones spilt into the room. “ _Who were you with_?”

Hanbin’s mouth fell open as the influx of pheromones and dominant voice made his mind go blank. Jiwon gripped Hanbin’s chin to tilt his head and leaned in to scent along Hanbin’s neck; still growling low in his throat.

“Tell me.”

“Just- Just Jiyong Hyung.” Hanbin stuttered as he tried to shrink away from the tight grip Jiwon had.

“Why?”

“He umm…” Hanbin swallowed, deciding that it would be better to tell Jiwon the truth; he had done nothing wrong after all. “Jiyong Hyung has a good bathtub for… relaxing.”

“Bathtub?” Jiwon grunted, biting down on Hanbin’s neck and tugging on the skin. “Why is his scent on you? Did he touch you?”

Hanbin froze as Jiwon’s scent thickened around them and the smell of arousal and anger became heavy in the air. Suddenly, Jiwon’s twitchiness and mood swings made sense and Hanbin cursed himself for not noticing but with how much he had been avoiding Jiwon he hadn’t seen the signs.

“Alpha, I think you’re going to rut. You need to leave.” Hanbin tried to pull his face from Jiwon’s grip and pushed against the Alpha’s chest.

“Leave? So you can run back to Jiyong?”

“Alpha… Let me up so I can-” Hanbin was cut off as Jiwon growled even louder and bit down again, harder.

The pain in Hanbin’ neck made the panic spike and Hanbin struggled to get away from the rutting Alpha. Bracing his feet on the floor, Hanbin shoved his chair to the side and Jiwon overbalanced so he fell forward onto the floor. Hanbin then bolted towards the door but as soon as his hand closed around the handle, hands grabbed his waist and pulled him back.

Hanbin cried out and struggled even more as Jiwon lifted him up to pull Hanbin back towards the bed. Trying to dig his elbows into the body behind him, Hanbin bucked against Jiwon but he pheromones the Alpha released were already beginning to muffle Hanbin’s mind and sap at his strength.

Jiwon dropped Hanbin down onto the bed and crawled over him; pinning Hanbin’s wrists down onto the sheets. Hanbin tried to twist his hands out of the steely grasp but Jiwon didn’t move an inch.

“Alpha, please let go. You don’t want to do this.” Hanbin pleaded, letting his body go limp in an attempt to not antagonise Jiwon anymore; the Alpha's past words ringing in his ears as he gazed up at him.

“I want this, God Hanbin, I want _you_.” Jiwon moaned and pressed his crotch down against Hanbin.

“Alpha, think about this. Please try and think clearly, you don’t want this.”

“I want this; if you don’t, you need to tell me ‘no’.”

Hanbin gasped and couldn’t help arching his back to press up into Jiwon above him. The Alpha rumbled happily and ground down again; drawing a whimper out of Hanbin. Jiwon smirked down at  
Hanbin and leaned in to nuzzle into his hair.

“Say it, Hanbin-a. Tell me ‘no’.”

Jiwon swapped his restraint of Hanbin’s wrists to one hand and moved the free one down to cup Hanbin’s cheek. Hanbin closed his eyes at the gentle touch as Jiwon brushed his thumb along his cheekbone and then down to his lips.

Hanbin knew he should tell Jiwon to stop, the Alpha had made it clear in the past that he didn’t want to spend a rut with a Beta, but the words got stuck in his throat. While he didn’t want their first time to be because of Jiwon’s hormones over running his body, Hanbin couldn’t deny the draw he had to the Alpha.

When Jiwon returned to mouthing at Hanbin’s neck, all thoughts in Hanbin’s mind scattered leaving only a deep longing to help and please his Alpha. The cramping in Hanbin’s stomach picked up, seemingly as a warning, but Jiwon’s overpowering scent was filling his senses to the point Hanbin couldn’t find it in himself to care. If this was the only chance he got to be close to Jiwon, then Hanbin was going to take it.

“Are you sure?” Hanbin gasped out through his raw throat.

“Yes, are you?” Jiwon pulled away to look into Hanbin’s eyes.

Hanbin paused before nodding slowly.

“Hanbin-a, you need to be sure.” Jiwon insisted, but Hanbin could see the minute shakes in Jiwon’s body as he held back.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Hanbin took a deep breath and tilted his head back to further expose his neck. “I want it too.”

Jiwon paused and Hanbin watched as the older boy’s eyes searched his face. After a few more moments, Jiwon grinned before reaching behind himself to pull off his shirt; dragging it over his head and throwing it away. Jiwon then trailed his hands down Hanbin’s sides to grip the hem of his shirt before pulling it off completely.

Hanbin watched with a slack jaw as Jiwon flexed his stomach above Hanbin with a smirk; dragging his hand down his own abs and biting his lip sensually. Jiwon then leaned down and Hanbin went cross-eyed trying to see what the Alpha was going to do.

The first touch of lips sent a bolt of electricity through Hanbin, and Hanbin moaned into the kiss; burying his hands into Jiwon’s hair to pull him closer. Jiwon huffed and allowed Hanbin to tug him down so they were pressed tightly against each other. They continued to kiss, hands running over each other’s bodies, and rutted against each other desperately.

Hanbin whined when Jiwon retreated with a teasing glint in his eye; biting his lip as he, once again, raked his eyes over Hanbin’s torso. Maintaining eye contact, Jiwon moved down Hanbin’s body; dropping wet, open mouthed kissed on Hanbin’s skin as he went. Jiwon paused, when he reached Hanbin’s stomach, to run his tongue over Hanbin’s abs and Hanbin felt Jiwon’s fingers brush against his clothed dick, teasingly.

“Alpha.” Hanbin whined and tried to buck up in Jiwon’s hand.

Jiwon raised an eyebrow and chuckled before ducking back down to continue kissing along Hanbin’s stomach. After a while, Jiwon sprung back up to seal their lips together again and Hanbin sighed into the passionate heat that swelled between them.

“Undo my jeans, Baby.” Jiwon whispered breathily into Hanbin’s mouth.

Hanbin groaned and snaked his hands down between their sweating bodies to unbutton Jiwon’s jeans. As Hanbin struggled with the zipper, Jiwon continued to grind down on him deliciously and Hanbin whined as he fought between grinding back and continuing to undo the Alpha’s trousers.

When Hanbin finally got the trousers undone, Jiwon gripped Hanbin’s wrist and pushed his hand inside them. Hanbin gasped as his fingers came in contact with Jiwon’s erection and he wrapped them around it tightly. Jiwon swore at the tentative touch and used his grip to make Hanbin move up and down. Continuing to stroke along Jiwon’s length, Hanbin watched Jiwon’s face crumble from the pleasure he was giving him. As Hanbin sped up, Jiwon began to pump his hips into Hanbin’s fist and Hanbin felt Jiwon’s grip leave his wrist to support his weight above him instead.

Jiwon dropped his face down into Hanbin’s shoulder and mouthed along his collar bone. Hanbin heaved in breaths as Jiwon’s scent washed over him and the weight of Jiwon’s body made Hanbin achingly aroused. Jiwon grunted and bit down one last time before pulling away and sweeping his hair back off his face.

“Get the supplies, Baby.” Jiwon teased and pressed another peck to Hanbin’s mouth before flopping onto his back on the bed.

Hanbin scrambled up from the bed and bent over to rummage around in his bottom draw. Pulling out a bottle of lube, Hanbin paused with his fingers on a packet of condoms stashed in the draw. Biting his lip in indecision, Hanbin glanced over his shoulder at Jiwon, who was fully naked on the bed and lazily running his hand over his dick, before plucking one out and slamming the draw shut.

Climbing back onto the bed, Hanbin hesitated as he watched Jiwon watching him for a few more moments. Jiwon’s expression turned heated and he remained still before raising an eyebrow at Hanbin. Hanbin gulped and looked down at the lube and foil in his hands before swinging his leg over Jiwon to straddle the Alpha.

Jiwon grinned and rested his hands on Hanbin’s hips, brushing his thumbs against the skin, pulling Hanbin against him harshly. Hanbin let a few moans drip from his lips as Jiwon continued to grind  
up into him; his penis rubbing along Hanbin’s crack and occasionally catching on his slightly stretched out rim.

“Alpha, I want-.” Hanbin whined and Jiwon cut him off by pulling him back in for another kiss.

As they dragged their lips together, tongues tangling as they got more intertwined, Jiwon’s hand slipped down to press again Hanbin’s pucker. Hanbin froze when Jiwon’s long fingers slipped in easily and the Alpha growled.

Before Hanbin could even open his mouth to explain, Jiwon had flipped them over and stuffed another finger into his hole.

“What’s this?” Jiwon snarled, thrusting his fingers into Hanbin at a maddening pace; the dry burn stealing Hanbin’s breath and making him shudder in pained pleasure.

“Alpha, I-”

“Did Jiyong do this? Did Hyung stretch you out and _fuck you_?”

“No.” Hanbin moaned. “He didn’t… we’ve never… only pack-”

“He didn’t fuck you, Hanbin-a? Tell me the truth.” Jiwon breathed into Hanbin’s ear menacingly, hooking his fingers to press against Hanbin’s prostate.

Hanbin shook his head desperately and buried his face into the duvet to hide the warmth spreading on his face. Jiwon nipped at Hanbin’s ear lop and continued to pump his fingers in and out.

“Good, I don’t want people touching what’s mine.”

Hanbin whined at Jiwon’s possessiveness and tried to follow his fingers when the Alpha pulled them out but he weight remained covering Hanbin’s body; pinning him to the bed. The fingers then returned to Hanbin’s ass, slathered in lube, and slipped back in easily along with a third digit.

Rocking back onto the three fingers with fervour, Hanbin moaned and ground his head into the mattress below him in frustration. Despite having come numerous times with Jiyong just a few hours earlier, there was a ball of heat in his stomach that drove Hanbin to want more and more from his pack mate.

Hanbin keened at the stretch as Jiwon added one more finger and prodded at the bundle of nerves that set Hanbin on fire. The slickness dribbled down his thighs as Jiwon worked his fingers in and out and the squelching sounds made Hanbin’s cheeks burn.

“Tell me what you are, Baby.” Jiwon murmured into Hanbin’s ear.

“Yours, Alpha, all yours.” Hanbin cried, and drawl slipped down his chin as the Alpha continued to slam his fingers into Hanbin’s prostate.

“That’s right, you’re all _mine_.”

Jiwon twisted his fingers around and dragged the pads of his fingers over Hanbin’s sensitive walls before pulling out to wipe his fingers on Hanbin’s ass. A chill spread along Hanbin’s back as Jiwon pulled away and Hanbin shifted on his knees to widen his stance and pushed his ass out; begging the Alpha to return the attention again.

The Alpha rumbled above him and Hanbin shivered with pleasure as the sound vibrated through him; the slick sounds of Jiwon’s hand on his cock mixing in as well to get Hanbin’s heart racing. Jiwon then gripped Hanbin’s hips and slid his dick along Hanbin’s crack; the head catching on his rim on every other thrust.

“Are you ready, Baby?”

“Yes, yes, yes... _please_ , Alpha.” Hanbin babbled, arching his back further.

Jiwon began to push in and Hanbin lurched forward at the sudden stretch that was somehow so much more than Jiwon’s fingers had been. A pained hissed escaped Hanbin and Jiwon cooed at the Beta as he ran his hands over Hanbin’s hips and back.

Hanbin took a few steadying deep breaths before finally relaxing and adjusting his knee to spread himself even further. Jiwon thrust a few times between Hanbin’s checks before aligning again and  
beginning to push in.

The shallow thrusts started up again and with every forward movement Jiwon pushed himself a little bit further into Hanbin’s body. Hanbin felt his nerves tingling and a strange nervousness overcome him; even after having sex countless times it felt completely new and strange again as Jiwon forced Hanbin to open up for him.

“Keep breathing, Hanbin-a, just breath for me.” Jiwon spoke in a relaxing voice.

A breath immediately exploded out of Hanbin’s lungs and the flow of air made Hanbin dizzy.

When Jiwon was fully in Hanbin’s ass, he continued the slow, measured thrusts; making Hanbin’s mind blank out with the pleasure. Little moans slipped from Hanbin with each thrust and Jiwon continued to murmur soothing words. After a few moments, Jiwon increased the power behind his thrusts and Hanbin cried out shamelessly as Jiwon’s head reached so deep inside him, Hanbin felt it in his guts.

“It’s so deep.” Hanbin gasped out and Jiwon chuckled in agreement.

“You feel it, Baby? You feel that hard cock going in your ass?”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Jiwon continued in the same mind-numbing rhythm for a long time before Hanbin felt the Alpha shift behind him and the warmth of the other's thigh brushed against his side. Jiwon planted his foot on the bed and used the extra leverage to really slam into Hanbin, still maintaining the slow speed, and making him scream. The shaking in Hanbin’s limbs got worse and worse until his body collapsed down into the sheets; pushed down from the force of Jiwon’s thrusts. Taking advantage of the new position, Jiwon pressed his hands between Hanbin’s shoulder blades to pin him completely to the bed and Hanbin whined at the show of domination.

As his knees slid down the bed, Hanbin felt Jiwon lean forward to cover his body completely and start mouthing at his shoulder. The swell of Jiwon’s knot began to catch on Hanbin’s rim and the knowledge that the Alpha was close made Hanbin’s body flood with pure bliss.

Feeling the stretch getting almost unbearable, Hanbin let out a loud whine that had Jiwon pounding even harder. Jiwon began to bite along Hanbin’s shoulder until he reached the back of Hanbin’s neck. Hanbin’s entire body felt like it was struck by lightning as the Alpha bit down, not quite breaking the skin, and his hair stood on end.

As Jiwon’s knot expanded fully, the Alpha pulled away to put more force behind the irregular thrusts. Hanbin could feel his own body reaching the tipping point in response to the increased aggression and his twisted his head to meet Jiwon’s simmering eyes.

The eye contact flipped something inside of Hanbin and a wall of pleasure slammed into him; making his body shudder as the orgasm overtook him.

“Fuck, Alpha- I’m… I’m-”

Jiwon moaned above him as Hanbin tightened around him and continued to fuck him through the climax.

“You feel so damn good, Baby. I’m going to mate you so good… won’t ever let you go.”

Moments later Jiwon’s own orgasm made the Alpha stiffen for a few seconds, his come spilling into Hanbin, before he slumped down onto Hanbin’s back. Hanbin whimpered at the feeling of heat spilling inside him and rolled his hips back to try and milk as much as possible from his Alpha.

Jiwon continued to rock gently into Hanbin as he twitched through the extended orgasm. After he had regained his breath, Hanbin shuffled around to try and get more comfortable, it would be a while before they could separate, and Jiwon’s muscular body was heavy on Hanbin’s back.

“Stop moving.” Jiwon mumbled into the skin of Hanbin’s back.

“You’re crushing me.”

Jiwon huffed, the deep exhale tickling Hanbin and making him flinch, but eventually shifted their bodies so they were both resting on their sides. Hanbin whined as Jiwon’s knot tugged on his over-sensitive hole and arched his back with the intense feeling.

“Stay _still_.” Jiwon grumbled and wrapped his arms around Hanbin’s waist to stop the movements.

The sleepiness in the Alpha’s voice almost made Hanbin smile at how sweet his Hyung sounded but the contentedness running through his body made Hanbin just as exhausted, too exhausted to even smile.

“Just go to sleep, Bin-a.” Jiwon nuzzled into the back of Hanbin’s neck and Hanbin was already falling asleep before he had a chance to reply, the security and happiness he felt lulling him into a blissful dream.

Waking up a while later in the dark room, Hanbin buried his face in his hands and tried to suppress a groan. He could hear the steady breathing of Jiwon beside him in the bed so Hanbin sat up, wincing at the ache in his lower body, and turned to look down at the Alpha.

Jiwon seemed totally relaxed as he sprawled out under the sheets; chest rising and falling in a slow, rhythmic pattern. It made Hanbin’s heart ache to be able to see the softer side of the Alpha; to share something utterly domestic with the older boy, but he knew it wouldn’t last. Nothing that good ever did.

As quietly as possible, Hanbin gathered some clothes and retreated into the bathroom to change. He felt guilty leaving the Alpha in the middle of his rut, but Hanbin needed some space and time to really think about what had happened. Hopefully Hanbin would be able to drag himself back before the other woke up or maybe DongHyuk would fill in for him until he could return.

Once he was dressed, Hanbin grabbed his phone and keys before slipping out into the dark hallway of the dorms. Nobody else seemed to be awake and Hanbin let out a deep sigh as the strong Alpha pheromones were replaced by clear air; allowing the fuzziness in his head to recede.

The further away he got, the more rational Hanbin’s thoughts became and regret began to eat him alive. Dressing for a walk in the chilly night air, Hanbin shoved in some earphones and slipped a mask over his face before heading out the door. His studio at the YG building would be a safe and isolated place for him to get his shit together and have a valid excuse for being there at the early hour.

Hanbin continued to berate himself for the entire walk and for once he wished the torturous cramps were keeping him company as he raced through the streets. At least then, he wouldn’t have to think about the reason they were gone, the very reason that was currently still asleep in Hanbin’s bed.

Keeping his head down, Hanbin dashed through the lobby; throwing a quick greeting to the night shift staff and headed up to his studio. Once he was inside, Hanbin slammed the door and threw the lock decisively before sliding down into a crouch.

As soon as he had leaned back against the door, sobs began to spill from his lips and tears streamed down from his eyes. Hanbin swiped at them angrily, what right did he have to be upset? Hanbin’s breathing stuttered as his mind cast back over the evening and his heart fluttered at the passion and care Jiwon had shown. He knew it wasn’t real but it had still felt… _right_.

Letting his head fall back against the door heavily, Hanbin bit his lip to try and stem the cries leaving them. He knew, had known for a long time in fact, exactly how Jiwon felt about him. Hanbin could still hear the disgust in Jiwon’s voice when he had found Jiwon and YunHyeong arguing in the kitchen after Jiwon had rejected the Rut service worker.

_Hanbin rounded the corner and nearly recoiled from the strength of the Alphas’ scents as the two boys faced off in the kitchen. The angry words were still ringing in Hanbin’s ears and he regretted allowing Jinhwan to bully him into intervening in the Alphas’ fight._

_“Is… Is everything alright, Alpha?” Hanbin asked YunHyeong, the oldest was less likely to snap at him, and kept his gaze on the floor._

_“Yes, Bin-a, sorry we were being so loud. Why don’t you go out with the others for dinner? Everyone could do with a break.” YunHyeong spoke slowly; with measured breathing and didn’t even look over at Hanbin as he spoke._

_“But what about-?”_

_“_ Now _, Hanbin.” YunHyeong growled, and Hanbin retreated quickly when he spotted the balled up fists at the Alpha’s sides._

_Swallowing, Hanbin darted back out of the room and paused to regain control of himself before returning to the others. Collapsing against the wall, Hanbin crossed his fingers that the two Alphas’ would sort everything out; without killing each other. Just as he was about to push off the wall, and tell the others about the dinner plans, a low growl from the kitchen stopped him._

_“And you really think I would spend my Rut with_ him _?”_

_“Why not, Jiwon? Hanbin’s offered repeatedly and you said no; we got you a Rut service and you still refused. I just don’t understand, why can’t you spend it with someone? You’re only hurting yourself by insisting you go through it alone.”_

_“It’s my choice, Hyung.” Jiwon shouted back and Hanbin flinched as a loud bang sounded from the room._

_“Your choice? Or your parents?”_

_“Don’t bring them into it. Is it wrong to want to wait for my mate? To want to spend something as important as a Rut with someone equally as important?”_

_“That’s not what I mean, Jiwon, but you know what the Doctor said about-”_

_“I can wait. I still have time.” Jiwon hissed and Hanbin swallowed as silence descended on the kitchen._

_Hanbin drifted forwards as he strained to hear what was said next. There was the grating sound of a chair being pulled out and a deep sigh and Hanbin suddenly felt like an invader on a private moment. Shuffling his feet, Hanbin glanced back down the corridor to where the other members were waiting before turning back to the kitchen door to wait._

_“I get it, I really do.” YunHyeong finally spoke in a much gentler tone. “It’s weird to spend such a vulnerable time with a stranger but… Hanbin can help you. It doesn’t even have to be sex, he can sooth i_ _t just by being there like he did with Chanwoo when he was underage.”_

_“YunHyeong, please just- It can’t be Hanbin. I_ can’t _… not with him.” The desperation in Jiwon’s voice cut into Hanbin’s chest and made his throat tighten up._

 _“If you just_ talked _to him about it and tried-”_

_“No!” Jiwon nearly screamed back. “I don’t want him anywhere near me.”_

_Hanbin nearly tripped over in his haste to get away; the tears running down his face made his vision blurry as he raced down the hallway. A loud ringing started up in Hanbin’s ears and Jiwon’s words began to cycle in his head as Hanbin locked himself in the bathroom before completely falling apart._

A new visceral sob racked Hanbin’s body as the memory of Jiwon’s words made him choke up. Even after the years that had passed, Hanbin had never forgotten the pleading notes in the Alpha’s voice as he rejected Hanbin’s help.

The guilt crashing down on him again as Hanbin tugged at his hair in anger. Jiwon was so strong and distant most of the time that it was easy to forget the Alpha had feeling and desires; especially when it came to the strong spiritual views that his pack had instilled in him.

Hanbin sniffed heavily and scrubbed at his eyes. Letting Jiwon into his room had been a mistake, they had finally been amicable and now Hanbin had messed everything up. Taking advantage of Jiwon’s Rut to fulfill his own desires and going against something he knew Jiwon believed in with his entire being.

When Jiwon’s Rut finished in a few days, there was going to be hell to pay for what had happened. Hanbin couldn’t bear to think of the hate returning to his Alpha’s face after witnessing concern and compassion crease his features. Resting his head against his knees, Hanbin whined low in his throat and closed his eyes to try and escape the regret swirling in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you may notice there are some members that don't have relationship tags. I was wondering what you guys might want to see. So in regards to Junhoe, DongHyuk and Chanwoo I'd like to know what you think.  
> Do you want them to stay unmated, have a particular pairing in mind, or want a triple or anything else in between? Either way I'm game to write, so let me know in the comments or message my instagram @giraffelegend.  
> Thanks for reading! Love you guys xxx


	11. The big issue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,  
> I'm guessing all of us are feeling a little shell shocked after everything that had happened recently. I've definitely found myself reading articles and then just feeling like all the breath has been sucked out of me. Everything just seemed so extremely unfair and knowing there is very little else I can do other than watch and hope is very difficult.  
> I hope all of you are taking care of yourselves and getting the help, or support, or chance to talk to people that you need to cope with everything.  
> That said, I have decided to post this chapter like normal because I write to relieve my stress and as you can imagine, I'm pretty darn stress atm and I just don't know what else to do. I don't know if I will continue with this story straight away or maybe take a break but I do think I want to finish it and reach some time of happy ending or conclusion.  
> I feel like my version of the characters are far enough away from all of this stuff to carry on and maybe keep this story as a happier place where people can escape for a while.  
> While I totally advocate people talking about this, I would like to ask that any comments, other than 100% positive, about all this stay away from this story so hopefully it can remain a little bubble of hope and a bit of fun.  
> My thoughts and best wishes are with all the boys and people struggling and uncertain at the moment and I hope the real problems get dealt with properly so everyone can move on.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter xxx  
> Please leave any comments or suggestions, I would love to hear from you all, and kudos are deeply appreciated. Thank you so much for the support for all this time and I hope you can continue to do so in the future. xxx

Hanbin jolted awake as the vibration of his phone sent it falling from his pocket to clatter loudly on the floor. It continued to buzz for a few moments while Hanbin fumbled around, disorientated and confused. By the time his fingers closed over the hard plastic, the device had fallen silent and Hanbin let his head fall back against the door.

Groaning, Hanbin stretched his hands above his head before heaving himself to his feet and heading to his desk chair. Slumping down with a sigh, Hanbin pulled his phone out to check the messages. There were several missed calls from YunHyeong, a few messages from Jinhwan and Jiwon.

Swiping to unlock his phone, Hanbin scrolled down through the notifications some more and froze when he saw the solitary message from their manager. Checking the time, Hanbin realised the message had been sent the night before and Hanbin stared at the message in fear.

The sudden vibration of his phone ringing again made Hanbin jump and he rushed to pick up the phone without even checking the caller name.

**“Hanbin-a? Finally. I’ve been calling all morning; where are you?”**

“Sorry, YunHyeong Hyung.” Hanbin tugged at his hair as he waited for the scolding to begin. “I’m just at the studio.”

**“Are you okay? Did something happen?”**

“No… I- Sorry, I’m fine.”

**“Do you need me to come get you?”**

Hanbin paused in thought and sat back in his chair. It would be so easy to say yes, avoid the meeting with their manager for a few more hours, and curl up into YunHyeong’s arms when the older boy arrived. YunHyeong would know what to do; he would have the perfect solution for what had happened with Jiwon- Fuck. Hanbin flew to his feet to begin grabbing everything he needed.

“If you wouldn’t mind, Hyung. I’m so sorry for leaving while Jiwon Hyung was in rut, I don’t know what I was thinking. Can DongHyuk cover for me until I get there?”

**“What are you talking about, Hanbin-a?”**

“Jiwon’s in rut… does- does he not want me to help anymore?” Hanbin swallowed thickly as he fought back tears at the sting of rejection.

**“Help…? Hanbin-a, I don’t know what you mean. Jiwon isn’t in rut; he’s sitting out in the living room with Jinhwan worrying about you.”**

“He’s not…” Hanbin felt his blood run cold at the statement.

Jiwon’s rut cycle had always, always lasted around five days and there was no doubt in Hanbin’s mind that Jiwon had been in rut the night before. It just wasn’t possible that YunHyeong hadn’t noticed, and he had no reason to lie, which meant Jiwon’s rut had to have finished… overnight.

Hanbin pressed the phone to his ear so tightly the plastic began to creak under the pressure. A rut finishing so early could only mean that the Alpha in question had spent the cycle with- Hanbin shook his head. It just wasn’t possible; he must have been mistaken or maybe it was just a freak cycle. Either way, there was no way Hanbin could be a compatible… anything to Jiwon.

 **“Bin-a? Hanbin, you still there?”** YunHyeong’s frantic voice broke through Hanbin’s trance.

“Yes- yes, I’m here.” Hanbin cursed the shakiness in his voice and rubbed a hand down his face to try and calm down.

 **“Are you sure you’re alright, Bin?”** The concern in the Alpha’s voice made Hanbin bite his lip, he was betraying YunHyeong’s trust and lying to him but even he wasn’t sure about what had happened  
now.

“Yeah, it must have been a dream. I shouldn’t have fallen asleep here.” Hanbin choked out.

**“Next time turn your phone on, or better yet, text me to let me know you left the dorms. We were all scared something had happened.”**

Hanbin very much doubted any of the others were too worried about where he had gone. Even when they had been sharing rooms and Hanbin had woken up the others in the middle of the night leaving for his studio, they had simply turned over and gone back to sleep without a word.

“Thanks Hyung; I’m sorry I worried you all.”

**“Not a problem. I’ll be at the YG building in about twenty minutes if you can hold on for a bit.”**

“Oh, no, don’t worry Hyung. I don’t need to be picked up; I was just confused earlier.”

**“Are you sure? I can easily swing by.”**

“No it’s fine; I need to meet with Manager-nim anyway.”

Hanbin fiddled with some papers on his desk in an attempt to distract himself from his anxiety, it was definitely bad when he would prefer seeing the older man than his own pack. Hanbin swallowed again to clear his throat, trying to settle himself.

**“Okay, if you’re sure?”**

“Yeah, Hyung, I need to deal with this.”

 **“Fine, but I’ll take you back afterwards.”** Hanbin heard someone else talking to YunHyeong faintly through the line. **“Actually, never mind, I’ll see if any of the members want to go in for practise and you can find us there, okay?”**

“But Hyung, it’s a free day-”

 **“If Leader-nim is working, we should be working too.”** YunHyeong stated firmly and Hanbin sighed in defeat.

“Alright, I’ll see you later then.”

**“See you. Stay safe and look after yourself.”**

Hanbin stayed staring at the phone long after YunHyeong had hung up the call. A hollow feeling filled Hanbin’s chest and he forced himself to take several deep breathes; slowly calming himself down. The easy show of affection and concern being something Hanbin had craved for as long as he could remember, but it had fallen on deaf ears as Hanbin’s mind ran through the worst cast scenarios.

Fighting back another round of tears, this time a mixture of bitter happiness and desolation, Hanbin sniffed a few times and sat back in his seat shakily. After a few moments the dread from the phone call returned and Hanbin couldn’t help but worry why Jiwon hadn’t told the others about what they had done the previous evening.

Was the Alpha ashamed? Disgusted? Angry? Hanbin bit his lip to control a stuttering breath as the thoughts began to bombard his mind. Jiwon had seemed so out of it when they had been getting intimate; all the signs had been there and pointing to a Rut, but Hanbin refused to let himself dwell on the reasons behind what had happened.

Standing up decisively, Hanbin grabbed his phone and headed to the toilets to freshen up before facing his manager. As much as Hanbin detested the man, getting to the meeting quickly would stop his mind wandering again.

Turning down the corridor to where the office was located, Hanbin nearly recoiled in disgust when the scent of pain and sex reached his nose. Sitting at the reception desk outside the main office was a Beta woman, with hunched shoulders and messy hair that looked like it had been grabbed.

Hanbin’s heart fell to his feet as he immediately recognised what the woman had been through. It was simply cruel to place a Beta as the manager’s secretary but, Hanbin supposed, as he was the manager of a Beta idol maybe the administration thought he was more tolerant.

Walking quietly, so as not to startle the woman, Hanbin headed up to the desk and gently cleared his throat; keeping his body language relaxed and open.

“Hello, excuse me, are you okay? Only I-”

“Beta. Get in here now.”

Both Beta’s heads snapped towards the office door as the Manager stormed through it, his face a mask of fury. The secretary released a small whimper and Hanbin fought the instinct to defend here, it would probably only make her more of a target later on, before heading towards the door.

However, the secretary had also begun to move and it wasn’t until she was already in arms reach that she realised her mistake.

“Not you, stupid bitch.” The Alpha scowled and slapped the woman on the cheek; leaving a red mark to bloom over her skin.

“I’m sorry, Sir, I was just-”

“What did I say about talking back?” Hanbin watched in shock as the manager raised his hand to strike again before he jolted into action and placed himself in front of the cowering woman.

“Sorry, I’m late Sir. I didn’t see your message last night.”

The man looked between Hanbin and the secretary a few more times before seeming to reign in his anger. Gripping Hanbin tightly around his arm, the Alpha tugged Hanbin into the office without a backward glance.

Hanbin took up his customary position in front of the desk and waited silently for the manger to speak. The older man thumped down into his leather chair and made a large show of sorting through several documents before leaning back to appraise Hanbin.

“You know, I’ve often found you strangely alluring… for a slut.” The Alpha sneered the words and Hanbin shivered at the dark look in his eyes. “Of course, Betas were made to be pleasing; otherwise how would they fulfil their roles as the perfect sex toys.”

Hanbin swallowed and clenched his fists at his sides. Focusing his gaze over the man’s left shoulder, Hanbin traced the delicate brush strokes of an expensive painting with his eyes.

“Besides your desperation to please anything that will fuck you, do you know what I like the most?”

Ignoring the question, Hanbin continued staring straight ahead and took several deep breathes to fight the nausea rising in his throat.

When Hanbin didn’t reply, the Alpha rose to his feet and slowly rounded the desk until his shirt brushed Hanbin’s arm menacingly.

“I said…” The Alpha hissed out quietly; before suddenly reaching up to yank Hanbin’s head backwards by the hair. “Do you know what I like the most?”

Resisting the urge to fight against the painful grip, Hanbin tried to shake his head but reconsidered when the Alpha tightened his fingers.

“No, Sir.” Hanbin whispered.

“I like your smile. You always smile like you’re about to cry.”

Hanbin flinched away from the stale breath that fanned over his cheek before the Alpha leaned down to like a stripe along Hanbin’s neck. The movement drew a high pitched whine from Hanbin’s throat that seemed to appease the Alpha, who moved back to his seat and began shuffling papers again.

“I called you in because there is another variety show YG wishes iKON to attend.”

Hanbin’s eyes widened in shock, he had been expecting all interview and appearances would be cancelled until the pack had sorted everything out. Having the media or the fans know something was wrong would likely cause a huge backlash.

“What? Are you sure that we-?”

“Did I ask for your opinion? No. Shut up and stop complaining.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“I don’t understand why you feel the need to fight against everything I plan. You can’t even make a bullshit claim about the hosts because your precious idol Heechul is on the show. Don’t ask me why but the producers of Knowing Brothers must have their reasons.”

“Sorry, Sir.”

“It’s very important that you prepare the members properly. We can’t afford any more bad press; the entire company knows about your little mess that caused Jiwon to be pushed out of Pack Alpha position. We can’t have anyone doubting the bonds of your pack, understood?”

“Perfectly, Sir.”

“I somehow doubt that. Why the higher ups decided it was worth it to put a Beta in charge, I will never know. It may be good for sales but at some point the have to admit how useless you are. I mean, what do you actually do besides stringing a few half decent chords together between getting your ass fucked six ways to Sunday?”

Hanbin bit down on his lip until the tangy flavour of blood reached his tongue. Hanbin knew from long years of experience that interjecting in his manager’s rant would only lead to more pain.

“Despite how incapable you are, I still need you to let the others know and get them all ready. Do you think you can manage that?”

“Yes, Sir.”

His manager nodded before picking up his pen to continue working on the paper scattered over his desk. Hanbin shifted awkwardly from foot to foot as he waited for the next instruction. After a few moments of scribbling the Alpha looked up and snorted.

“You’re dismissed.”

Hanbin bowed deeply and fled from the room; nearly making it all the way out of the office area before a quiet voice stopped him.

“Excuse me?”

Hanbin turned to see the secretary standing behind her desk; the mark on her cheek already beginning to darken and Hanbin winced in sympathy. Smiling warmly, Hanbin made his way over to the desk and waited for her to continue.

“Thank you… for standing up for me back there.”

“There’s no need to thank me; I didn’t do anything.” Hanbin dropped his eyes in embarrassment.

“But you did, you got between us when he was going to… well, thank you. I don’t know if I would have been brave enough to do the same thing.”

“We have to look out for each other, right?” Hanbin smiled weakly. “Even if all we can do is patch each other up afterwards. If he hurts you again… you should talk to someone; I’ll make sure they listen.”

“Thank you.” The woman’s eyes shone brightly as she bowed deeply in gratitude.

“Have a good day. Please, excuse me.” Hanbin bowed politely in farewell and sped off down the corridor.

Hanbin had gotten nearly half way back to the dorms before he remembered YunHyeong had said he would be waiting at the YG building to pick him up. Cursing his forgetfulness, Hanbin pulled out his phone and dialled his Hyung’s number.

**“Hello?”**

“Hi Hyung, it’s me.”

**“Is your meeting finished?”**

“Yeah, we have a schedule on Knowing Brothers pretty soon which we need to prepare for; so nothing too major.”

 **“That’s… an interesting choice on management’s part.”** YunHyeong sighed into the phone. _“But I’m sure we’ll make it work. Do you want me to pick you up now?”_

“Umm… Well, actually… I forgot to call you and I’m nearly back at the dorms.”

 **“Bin-a, I get that you’re independent but I don’t think it’s safe for you to be wandering around Seoul on your own.”** YunHyeong scolded.

“I’m sorry, I had a lot on my mind.”

**“I understand. Just… don’t shoulder everything on your own next time.”**

“I promise, Hyung.” Hanbin chuckled.

**“Well, since your almost home, just text me when you get there. I’ll keep the others at practise for a bit longer and we can all meet up for dinner, how does that sound?”**

“Perfect, I’m starving.”

**“Alright, see you soon.”**

“Bye, YunHyeong.”

**“Bye.”**

Hanbin pocketed his phone and continued to trudge around the corner to the apartment building. It had been a long time since he had been able to just aimlessly walk through the city during the day and it was nice to get lost in the mass of people bustling about around him.

The pedestrians were almost like his thoughts as they pushed and shoved to get to their destination but in the end still arrived at the same place. The swarms and trickles of people weaving in and out captured Hanbin’s attention and he arrived back at the dorms before he even realised his feet had been moving again.

After climbing the long and dim stairs, Hanbin slipped into the dorms with a sigh; toeing off his shoes, Hanbin padding through the living room. Since there was no one there, the entire group being at practise, Hanbin gazed around the empty room and wondered if he had enough time for a nap.

Deciding he absolutely did, Hanbin headed up the corridor but froze as he passed Junhoe’s room and the faint sound of moans floated out to him; accompanied by the heavy scent of Alpha arousal. Hanbin swallowed and was about to continue down the hall when a voice called out.

“Hanbin? Is that you?”

“Yeah.” Hanbin croaked out, and felt himself flush at having been caught outside while Junhoe was jerking off in his room.

“Why don’t you join me for a little fun?”

Hanbin remained frozen to the spot, he really didn’t want to. He still felt incredibly confused about everything that had happened with Jiwon and what it meant; doing anything with Junhoe would only confuse the situation further. The feel of the manager’s breath on his skin made Hanbin feel disgusting and Hanbin didn’t want to taint his pack with any of it. Protecting them from the Weekly Idol incident was important, especially the younger members, but nobody could ever find out about their manager.

“Come on, Bin. I won’t bite.” Junhoe called from behind the door.

Hanbin couldn’t help himself from snorting at the obvious lie and steeled himself as he opened the door. Junhoe was clearly expecting Hanbin to fulfill his role as the pack Beta. The sight that greeted him, while it wasn’t exactly wanted, wasn’t half bad either.

Junhoe was sprawled out on his bed with his legs spread to show off his sizable dick as he lazily moved his hand up and down. The was a laptop open beside him, long forgotten now that a physical alternative had presented itself, and distorted moans still sounded from the speakers.

“I didn’t think anyone was home.” Hanbin muttered weakly as he hesitated in the doorway to the room.

“It’s just me.” Junhoe smirked and reached down with his other hand to fondle his balls. “The others went to dance practise.”

“Yeah, I- Yeah. Sorry to interrupt you.”

“You are _certainly_ not an interruption, Hanbin.” Junhoe purred and let his eyes rove over Hanbin.

Hanbin flushed and shuffled on his feet as he waited awkwardly in the doorway. Junhoe was still masturbating as his gaze bored into Hanbin; it sent his heart racing at the heat in the Alpha’s eyes.

“Do you want help with that?” Hanbin asked and nodded towards Junhoe’s dark red member.

“Do you want to help me with it?” Junhoe countered with a smirk.

Hanbin sighed and walked over to the bed; kneeling on the bed and shuffling forwards until he was over Junhoe, on all fours, and he leaned in for a kiss. Junhoe immediately moved to take charge and flipped them so Hanbin was caged against the mattress by Junhoe’s muscular arms.

All thoughts of creepy managers and images of a sexy Jiwon faded away to background noise as Junhoe claimed Hanbin's mouth with his. The Alpha wasted no time in including his tongue to slide along Hanbin’s teeth and gently stroke his tongue. The sensation drove Hanbin wild but the flood of pleasure that entered his body feel strange and two dimensional after-

“Fuck.” Hanbin sprang up into a sitting position; pushing Junhoe off to the side. “Fuck, fuck, _fuck_.”

Junhoe’s calls to catch Hanbin’s attention were drowned out by the dizziness the revelation had just set off. The relief Hanbin had received from the kiss had been entirely sexual, and that was the problem, it had been from the closeness of a pack member and not a soothing of his Season. Hanbin had been so caught up in worrying about other things that he hadn’t realised his cramps had disappeared.

That meant his Season was over, and it as over a week too early; just like Jiwon’s rut. Hanbin buried his face in his hands, how could he have been so stupid? Spending his Season with an Alpha from his pack, and not just any Alpha but Jiwon? Stupid, stupid, stupid. An Alpha that Hanbin had always been extremely attracted to, had always felt a draw to, had always desired.

“Hanbin?” Junhoe’s voice suddenly broke through the screaming in Hanbin’s head and Hanbin desperately focused on the tight grip the Alpha had on his arms. “You okay? What happened?”

“Sorry, I’m fine.” Hanbin tried to regulate his breathing, he had already messed up his barely healing relationship with Jiwon and it wouldn’t do to piss of Junhoe. “You can keep going if you want.”

“What are you talking about, Bin? ‘If I want’? What just happened here?” Junhoe growled.

“It’s nothing; just forget it. You wanted some help, right?” Hanbin forced himself up onto his knees and reached for Junhoe’s dick before the Alpha slapped his hand away.

“Why does it matter what I want right now? You’re clearly not okay; you just freaked out.”

“I’m fine, Alpha, let’s just keep going.” Hanbin whined, almost pleading with Junhoe to just ignore his outburst.

“If you really want that, then tell me. Tell me you want it.” Junhoe sat back and stared in Hanbin’s eyes; face so full of concern and confusion.

“I- I…"

"You can't, can you?" Junhoe raised an eyebrow.

"No, I don’t want it.” Hanbin whispered and looked down at the sheets in misery.

“Okay. Just give me a moment.” Junhoe spoke gently and Hanbin watched the Alpha climb off the bed; clearing up his laptop and lube before slipping on a pair of sweats. “Now, do you want to talk about it?”

Hanbin shook his head mutely and continued to fiddle with the sheets with his shaking fingers. He still couldn’t quite believe how well Junhoe appeared to be taking his refusal. Hanbin had never, not even once, refused sex; he just hadn't thought it was something to risk getting hurt over.

“Alright, so you don’t want to talk about _that_ … how about you tell me why you didn’t tell me to stop when you were clearly uncomfortable?”

Hanbin shrugged his shoulder noncommittally in response and glanced up at Junhoe through his eyelashes. The Alpha raised a scathing eyebrow and Hanbin swallowed before answering.

“I didn’t think I could.” Hanbin’s voice cracked on his words and he brought his knees up to his chest.

“Why on earth would you think that? It’s your body Hanbin; nobody had the right to tell you what to do with it. That’s why consent is so important.”

“You really think that?” Hanbin asked sceptically. “Even though I’m a Beta?”

“What’s that got to be with anything?” Junhoe frowned and Hanbin couldn’t help but let out a sad laugh at the confusion in the younger boy’s eyes. "Forcing sex on anyone is wrong."

“Well, I mean, you don’t think I should be spared a good beating to set my behaviour straight even if it’s against my will. You never have a problem mouthing off about me not being fit to be a leader  
and you definitely never had a problem with me following orders before."

"You _are_ a Beta, Hanbin, there are some things that it affects. It's not normal for a Beta to be in charge and to have to dominate Alphas and Omegas."

"I never wanted to dominate you guys, I just wanted to help and guide and work together."

"Hanbin, you're a good leader for iKON but it's just common sense that Jiwon Hyung should have been the leader."

Hanbin grit his teeth and nodded down at the mattress in disbelief. It shouldn't have been a surprise; he had heard the same thing repeated many times through the years.

"Jiwon Hyung is too impulsive, don't you think?"

"I guess... I mean... you were probably the best choice for iKON but other Beta's wouldn't be... I mean..."

"So... like Jinwoo?"

"No. Jinwoo Hyung, and you, are different. It's-"

"Just Beta's in general? Our natural slutty nature? Our inability to think of anything past a dick?" Hanbin's exhaustion gave way to his anger; he was tired of being ignored.

"I- I..."

"If that's the case, I guess a black eye is what I need to be put straight." Hanbin shook his head and stood up from the bed; heading towards the door.

"Wait, Hanbin." Junhoe stood to follow Hanbin, but stayed back to give Hanbin some space. "I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I just got caught up with Jiwon and everything..."

"What kind of an excuse is that?" Hanbin spat.

"I thought it was what should be done. I thought... My parents always said that Beta responded best to physical... corrections."

"Corrections?" Hanbin's jaw dropped open. "So, it's okay of a Beta to be physically assaulted because its the best way to correct their behaviour?"

Junhoe's mouth opened and closed in shock before he swallowed loudly.

"Why is sex any different? Why does that need consent?”

“It’s not different, it’s-” Junhoe’s face seemed to fall completely slack as the realisation hit him. “but I thought… everyone always said that it wasn’t in a Beta’s nature to take charge, and that they like to please others… I didn’t-”

“It’s okay… well, I guess it’s not but… I understand. I guess I never told you before so…”

“Hanbin, I’m really sorry.” Junhoe leaned collapsed backwards on to the bed. “I feel so stupid. How could I not have seen that?”

“Didn’t WINNER Sunbae-nims talk to you about this?” Hanbin asked in confusion.

“Minho Hyung did talk about us treating you badly, but I thought he meant as a leader and not… yeah. SeungHoon also said some stuff but he was so pissed I couldn’t focus past the angry Alpha pheromones; he’s almost as scary as YunHyeong Hyung. Jiwon Hyung also started crying and it was a bit of a mess.”

Hanbin sighed and rubbed at his forehead in frustration, how could the other boy be so oblivious? Just as he was about to give up and idea popped into his head.

“Hey, Junhoe? Can I use your laptop?”

“Sure.” Junhoe replied suspiciously and leaned over to pick it up off the floor. “Here.”

After booting it up, Hanbin searched up some of the Beta rights pages and campaign manifestos he had found before handing the laptop back.

“Why don’t you read these and get back to me?” Junhoe squinted at the screen before looking back at Hanbin in confusion. “I would really love to spend some time talking this all through with you at some point but right now I don’t think I can deal with something is important. I'm tired and angry; so now isn't the time.”

“Okay, Hanbin.” Junhoe agreed easily and nodded as he already began to scroll through the browser.

“I’m going to head back to my room now. YunHyeong said we were going to do dinner together as a group.” Junhoe hummed in response, already engrossed in the reading, and Hanbin smiled faintly. “See you later.”

Hanbin slipped out of the room and was closing the door behind him when a low growl of an Alpha sounded down the hallway. Snapping around, Hanbin gasped as he was suddenly face to face with a seriously pissed Jiwon.

“Why are you upset? Did Junhoe do something?”

Hanbin’s mouth fell open in shock and he tried to form words a few times before he just gave up and stared at the seething Alpha in front of him.

“Move out the way; I’ll deal with him.” Jiwon growled.

The threat of violence on the newly studious dongsaeng in the room behind him made Hanbin spring into action. Hanbin braced his hands against Jiwon’s heaving chest and pushed him away from the closed door.

“No, Junhoe didn’t do anything. We were just talking about something difficult.” Jiwon seemed to relax at Hanbin’s words and Hanbin found himself smiling despite himself. “Why are you here anyway? Are the others back too?”

“No, I overheard YunHyeong on the phone so I decided to come back early.” Jiwon explained sheepishly. “I needed to know you were okay. I was worried when I woke up and you were…”

The reminder of the day before made all of the turmoil over run Hanbin’s brain once again and suddenly he was bone tired. All he wanted was to crawl into bed, alone, and not have to think for a few hours.

“I’m sorry, I had a meeting with Manager-nim; so I went in early.”

“Oh, well actually, Hanbin, I wanted to talk to you about-”

“Another time, Hyung?” Hanbin forcefully cut the Alpha off; already heading towards his room. “I’m really tired from the early start so I would like to rest for a bit.”

“But, Hanbin-a, it’s-”

“I’ll talk to you later.” Hanbin forced himself to keep walking and ignore the scent of hurt that wafted from the Alpha.

Slipping into his own room for the first time that day, Hanbin felt every single one of his defences tumble down. Luckily, Jiwon decided not to follow him and Hanbin made a bee line for his bed without even changing clothes.

As he snuggled under the covers, Hanbin wondered about the maelstrom of scents that covered the sheets. Jiwon, sex, lust and… fear. It was subtle, as if the person had jumped out of bed in their fright, and Hanbin shoved the pillow containing the scent off onto the floor. Arranging the other pillows and blankets around him so it created a small nest, Hanbin shifted around until he was comfortable and his scent mixed into the other notes there.

The other scents could stay of a couple hours of a nap, and if Hanbin slept better in those few hours than he had any night since arriving at the YG building, well then, it’s not like anyone would find out. He could wash the sheets tomorrow and everything would be fine, yeah... everything would be fine.


	12. Never meet your heroes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wassup my dudes. I hope you are all doing as well as you can be doing atm.  
> Sorry for the lateness, it was Midsummer over the weekend (from Friday) so I've been with my family eating loads and celebrating. I would have uploaded but when you have a family the size of mine, it gets pretty difficult to get a minute alone.  
> That said I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please leave a kudo and a comment. I love to hear from you all and it just brightens my day up completely.  
> Also I did edit the last chapter a little bit to flesh out the JunBin section, so check that out if you want.  
> I hope you enjoy xxx

Hanbin took a deep breath as he stepped out of the van in front of the filming studio; the last time he had done so blaring loudly in his mind like an alarm. Unlike the last time, however, YunHyeong took control of guiding the other members into the building while Hanbin stuck by Jinhwan; trailing behind at the back of the group.

They all managed to get into the dressing room without incident and dumped all their things around the room. Hanbin looked around curiously as his removed his coat and mask; placing them carefully over the back of the sofa.

As his eyes moved around the room, Hanbin spotted the rail of neatly pressed uniforms that they would all be wearing for the episode. They looked so real that Hanbin found himself gravitating towards the rail without even thinking about it.

The memory of being a young child and desperately wishing to be able to have his own uniform and attend school began to form in Hanbin's mind. His childhood hadn't been ideal, but he was grateful to his parents everyday for leaving their pack for him.

After a few moments, YunHyeong came over to where Hanbin was inspecting the school uniforms hanging up on the rail, deep in thought, and nudged his shoulder.

“How are you feeling, Bin-a?”

“I’m good.” Hanbin replied and sent a shaky smile to the other boy.

YunHyeong raised a knowing eyebrow and Hanbin blushed before looking back down at the blazer pinched between his fingers.

“Okay, but if anything changes you come straight to me, or JinHwan. We're available if you need anything at all.”

“Yeah, will do Hyung.” Hanbin muttered, without even looking up.

YunHyeong whistled as he switched his attention and joined Hanbin in looking over the school clothes. The blazers and white vests looked so pristine and intimidating that Hanbin couldn’t help but run his finger along the course fabric again and again.

“We’re going to feed a lot of iKONIC's fantasies with these.” YunHyeong chuckled. "Do you think people still like the whole student vibe anymore?"

“Yeah…” Hanbin agreed absentmindedly; still running his fingers over the collar of the blazer.

"I never got a lot of attention in school. Maybe it'll be better because we're older? Or maybe it's just the makeup."

"Yeah, probably."

"I mean you looked like a goblin when you were younger; I can't imagine you were getting much action either."

"Yeah, absolutely."

“Bin? Are you even listening?”

YunHyeong placed his hand gently on Hanbin’s shoulder and squeezed. Hanbin looked down at the ground to avoid the concerned gaze YunHyeong was giving him and the blazer slipped out of his fingers.

“Hanbin?” YunHyeong moved to try and meet Hanbin’s eyes.

Hanbin huffed and pushed YunHyeong’s hand off of his arm. He was suddenly tired of his Hyung’s constant concern and hovering. It usually felt nice to have someone who paid attention to him so completely and didn’t need to be told what to do but the dull feeling that had taken up residence in Hanbin’s gut over what had happened with Jiwon was making him feel guilty.

He couldn't tell YunHyeong. If his precious Hyung ever found out he had had sex with Jiwon under those circumstances, it would heartbreaking. Thinking about it made Hanbin feel a little ill. Having spent years in the hands of _that_ man, Hanbin knew better than anyone what forced sex could do to a person.

Self esteem and body issues would be just the beginning and if Jiwon was already struggling with his loss of Alpha authority it would be ten times worse. Hanbin swallowed past the sickness to try and focus back on YunHyeong in front of him.

After that first night, Jiwon had given Hanbin space and Hanbin wasn't sure if he was happy or sad about that. The other boy had been exceedingly polite but distant. It was almost as if they were tip-toeing around each other; putting the others on edge as well.

Hanbin swallowed past the sickness to try and focus back on YunHyeong in front of him but how could he complain about such a meaningless thing when he had- Hanbin shook his head and tried to push the dark thoughts to the back of his mind.

“I…” Hanbin looked back up at YunHyeong's patient and open face and felt his defensiveness fade away. “I… I’ve never worn a uniform before.”

“Wha- What?” YunHyeong stuttered in response to Hanbin’s whispered confession, the words having slipped out before Hanbin could stop them.

“My parent’s homeschooled me.” Hanbin felt weird sharing the secret that he had never spoken to anyone before.

“How come you never said anything? Did you get any qualifications?"

Hanbin swallowed and bowed his head to hide his embarrassment. YunHyeong would no doubt think he was stupid if he found out Hanbin had absolutely no qualifications to his name.

“No one really asked, and I joined YG so young I never really needed to finish school. I never even enrolled after the audition because-”

“Because?”

“Well… Betas didn’t legally have to attend school or anything like that. I mean at least they didn’t when I was younger.”

“So, it’s not the case now?”

“No, it changed a few years ago but a lot of Betas attended school anyway. For me, it was...”

“It was what?” YunHyeong frowned.

“You know my parents left my pack after I was born, to protect me?” Hanbin swallowed as YunHyeong nodded and tried to convince himself to continue. “We umm… didn’t have the money to move out of the area at first so it was too dangerous to attend the school in case it caused... problems. After that, none of the schools wanted to take on a Beta from a lone family.”

"By problems, do you mean they would try to kidnap you?"

Hanbin froze as YunHyeong hit the nail on the head. Betas that weren't abandoned by their pack, they were completely owned by those in change; leaving or trying to run away often ending in a much worse situation than it had been before.

It was a barbaric was to control Betas and, as they only made up a small proportion of the population, it often went completely unnoticed so the fact that YunHyeong knew was a total shock.

Once the initial confusion had worn off Hanbin forced himself to nod and regretted his decision to talk immediately as anger flooded the Alpha's face.

“Fuck, Hanbin, I didn’t-” YunHyeong didn’t have the chance to finish before one of the show co-ordinators came into the room.

“Hello everyone.” The woman greeted and bowed deeply to them. “I hope your journey here was okay?”

“Yes, thank you.” YunHyeong spoke up politely, taking on the role of Pack Alpha.

“Good, good.” The woman smiled. “We will get you all into make up and costumes shortly but I dropped by to make sure you knew about the format of the show. Specifically, that we don’t tell the cast who the guests are so there won’t be a pack meeting. Will that be a problem for you?”

“No, not at all.” YunHyeong agreed easily. “As long as everyone is respectful of all our members, we are happy to follow the show’s process.”

“Of course.” Hanbin tried not to grimace at the very obvious glance the woman sent his way after she spoke.

Although the action seemed to be completely subconscious and with no malicious intent, Hanbin didn't like the feeling of being singled out.

They continued on with some small talk as well as confirming some of the finer details about the preparation for filming before they were left alone once again. Hanbin moved away from YunHyeong as soon as he could to start getting ready, so their previous conversation wouldn’t be continued.

Walking over to a yawning Chanwoo, Hanbin sunk down into the sofa cushions and sighed. _What was wrong with him_? He had carried all the burden with him of all these years and now he was spilling secrets left, right and centre. It wasn't as if they others could help; so it was better to keep some aspects of his life private and not burden them with it.

Hanbin didn't get very long to sulk, however, before he was called out to start getting his light studio makeup done. The stylist was nice enough and after the attempted small talk fell flat, he allowed Hanbin to sit quietly with his eyes closed. The peace only being broken when the man made a few lewd comments about Hanbin's lips as he painted on the lip tint.

After his makeup was done, Hanbin reverently dressed in the uniform and stared at himself in the floor length mirror. For a moment, Hanbin let his mind wander; pretending he was a regular Alpha or Omega attending an academy and worrying about which college he could get into.

Letting out a deep sigh, Hanbin turned away from the mirror and sunk down into a sofa to wait for filming to begin. It was still really early in the morning; so Hanbin closed his eyes to rest.

Once everyone else was ready, they were all called to the backstage waiting area. Hanbin pushed up on his toes and craned his neck to try and catch sight of the school room set.

The cast members were milling around and teasing each other playfully in a way that put Hanbin at ease. They seemed not to care about age and dynamic as they bickered between themselves and the director. It was a nice atmosphere and Hanbin allowed himself to relax a little as he waited.

"Alright everyone, we will finish the introduction segment and then you will enter from the front door. Please line up quietly outside the door." The stage hand bowed and then hurried off to join the crew behind the camera.

"You heard him." Hanbin called to the room and began to herd everyone to the specified place.

The members began pushing each other as they got ready and hid behind the doors of the set. From his position at the front, Hanbin could see HeeChul and JangHoon messing about as the younger man released barb after barb at the retired athlete; the other men all laughing hysterically at the exchange.

It was no secret amongst his members that Hanbin idolised HeeChul, both Jinwoo and himself had spent many hours discussing the bombastic senior, and the fact he would get to meet him was a little dream like.

As one of the first Betas in the industry, and definitely the first mainstream one, HeeChul had paved the way - more like demolished walls- for other Betas after him.

Another stage hand gave Hanbin the count down on her fingers before their entance and Hanbin took a deep breath before sliding the door open and stepping out into the studio lights. The other members followed him with shouts and whoops as they greeted the cast.

Hanbin felt a buzzing start up in his head as he looked out at the entertainment veterans seated in front of him and he couldn't help but wonder what he was doing there. Before he could get too worked up, YunHyeong was beside him and smiling warmly down at him, and Hanbin forced himself to relax; leaning into the Alpha subtly.

"No way!" A surprised exclamation caught Hanbin's attention and he looked up to see HeeChul backing up from his seat; eyes trained on the director in shock. "Am I dreaming?"

"Are you sure it isn't a nightmare?" YoungChul laughed as he leaned back in his chair to watch HeeChul. "It's another boy group."

"We aren't that bad, are we?" Junhoe played into the teasing with a smile.

"iKON are our guests today?" HeeChul asked again.

"Yes, you always talk about them so we managed to get them on." The director explained happily from his position off the stage.

HeeChul laughed a little hysterically before moving back to his seat again and sitting down; staring up at them all attentively.

Hanbin felt his jaw fall open as he watched the entire exchange. Looking at Jinhwan, who was standing at his side, the older boy seemed just as confused.

After that, they began their introductions and talked with the cast about what they had been doing; sharing funny stories. Junhoe had just finished sharing a particularly embarrassing story about accidentally going into the ladies toilet when Soogeun spoke up.

"HeeChul-a, you've been really quiet the whole time. Have you not got any new material for your crazy character or are you in love with one of the boys?"

"I- it's just…" HeeChul stuttered. "I can't be mean to B.I. He is such an inspirational figure; I feel like I should start a campaign from just being in his presence. I'll prove all my rumours right by getting lost in his eyes."

Hanbin's mouth feel open again as he looked back at his long time idol, who had just confessed he was star struck by Hanbin himself. _**What?!**_

"Thank you, but I'm really nothing special." Hanbin bowed deeply in embarrassment.

"How can you say that?" HeeChul shouted and jumped to his feet. "Can I approach you?"

Hanbin nodded numbly as watched as HeeChul rounded the desks and moved to shake Hanbin's hand. Hanbin let his hand be taken and stared down at HeeChul's bowed head; astonished, he rushed to bow to his Sunbae as well.

"I've been following your career avidly. I think having you as a Beta leader and role model will do so much for the youth in our dynamic, so never dismiss yourself again."

Only managing to nod in reply, Hanbin let his hand slip from the older Beta's grasp as HeeChul moved back to his seat. Looking around at his fellow members Hanbin flushed as he saw the pride in his Hyungs' eyes and the shocked awe on Jiwon's face.

"HeeChul-a looks like he's about to faint." HoDong laughed from his seat; slapping his thigh at the sight.

"Laugh all you want, I'm never washing my hand again." HeeChul replied reverently as he held up his hand to admire it.

Hanbin flushed at the display and hid his face in YunHyeong's shoulder; which only caused the cast members to coo and laugh harder.

"It is true." Soogeun agreed. "I've seen countless articles about how B.I is the face of Beta empowerment in the industry."

"I saw a transcript of a radio interview you all did, and it was really inspirational to hear you all speaking about your passions and struggles." KyungHoon added enthusiastically.

"Honestly, I don't think you fully understand what it's like to see someone doing so well despite what society thinks." HeeChul turned and spoke seriously to his fellow cast members. "I'm really proud."

Unable to keep his gaze up as the cast, and his members, started a round of compliments. Trying to fight the smile the kind words ignited Hanbin turned his head away from the camera.

The movement brought Jiwon into his line of sight where the older boy was leaning against the desk. The Alpha appeared to be melted as his listened to the discussion with a dopey smile and Hanbin wondered what exactly was causing such a reaction.

The rest of the filming was much less extraordinary as they played a few games and showed off their dance moves. When they had finished filming, Hanbin was exhausted and sweating through his shirt but buzzing with happiness from the good day.

Bowing to the crew and cast members in thanks, Hanbin wiped at his forehead and ruffled his hair. The relief of finally slipping out of his B.I persona was immense and Hanbin just wanted to sleep for a thousand years, or cuddle up with one of the Alphas from his pack for a bit.

Heading to the back of the classroom set to collect his jacket that he had left on the chair, Hanbin froze as he heard DongHyuk complaining to a stylist.

"I just don't see why he had to make it all about himself, you know? We're a group; we're all doing inspirational things. It's just his need for attention."

Hanbin swallowed and was about to turn away when a hard exhale from the stylist stopped him.

"I think it's you that wants the attention. I mean no offense; you are definitely talented but I don't think you fully understand the prejudice a Beta has to go through to get even halfway to where your leader has. Besides, HeeChul Sunbae brought it up so it really had nothing to be with Hanbin-a."

"Yeah, but-" DongHyuk scrambled to regain his footing in the conversation.

"Look, I don't know how your pack let's you get away with talking like that but we really don't tolerate it here. We have several Betas in our crew and I don't like your attitude. Excuse me."

Hanbin watched in shock as the stylist turned on her heel and disappeared down the hallway. He had never heard anyone speak to DongHyuk in such a way before.

As a successful Omega, a lot of people went out of their way to accommodate DongHyuk. There were often a lot of disgusting perverts hovering around, trying to work their way in, but no one ever scolded him. No one ever disagreed with him.

DongHyuk remained frozen for a few moments before also spinning around and storming off to the dressing rooms. Hanbin followed his retreat with his gaze before shaking his head, he should let YunHyeong know so the Alpha could check DongHyuk was okay.

Turningaround to try and find his Hyung, Hanbin spotted HeeChul who waved and begun to make his way over.

"Hello, I'm Kim HeeChul. Sorry I couldn't introduce myself properly earlier."

"Kim Hanbin. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sumbaenim; I have been a fan of yours for a long time."

"Really, even though you are in an agency with GD?"

"Jiyong Hyung is amazing, but there's something different when it's someone you can relate to." Hanbin gushed.

"Absolutely. Even though you are younger, I often find myself looking at your group's activities and reminding myself why it's all worth it. I get jitters every time I'm reminded we have a Beta leader in the industry."

"Sunbaenim, that is-"

"Please call me Hyung." HeeChul smiled. "I would like to be friends, if that's okay with you?"

"Yes." Hanbin blushed at his eager reply. "I mean… I would really like that."

"I'll give you my contact details." HeeChul pulled his phone from his pocket and began to scroll through his apps. "You know, I was a little worried about you. I've heard some rumours about what's it's been like but I'm glad you look happy. I bet having YunHyeong around is a relief."

"What do you mean?" Hanbin asked cautiously.

"I don't mean to be presumptuous, but I saw the way you trusted him to protect you and you calmed down around him; I can see you are close."

"I'm close with all my members; we're a pack."

"You don't have to lie to me, Hanbin-a." HeeChul raised his gaze from his phone to give Hanbin a steely glare. "Don't forget, I'm a Beta too. I know how it looks when you're trying to hide a limp or covering bruises with makeup."

Hanbin swallowed and nodded; tears beginning to prick at his eyes from the frank words.

"You don't have to tell me everything; heck, you don't have to tell me anything but I'm always around to chat. You're a good kid, Hanbin; don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Thank you, Hyung." Hanbin whispered as he accepted HeeChul's phone to take down his details.

Thinking about what HeeChul had said, Hanbin couldn't help but wonder what it had been like for the senior if he had experienced all of that. Hanbin couldn't imagine what it would be like, well physically he could but HeeChul's mental fortitude was to be admired, Hanbin at least had Sunbaes to look up to and know it got better, HeeChul had had none of that.

"Spit it out. I can hear you thinking from here." HeeChul laughed as he accepted his phone back.

"I was just… wondering… how did you manage to stay so positive and outspoken even when it was so hard."

"To be honest with you… I didn't always. There were many times I wanted to just give up; to just quit and leave. I never had it as bad as I suspect you have had it but it was still hard; it sure made my old pack seem pretty inviting. I was really lucky to have such an accepting group with Super Junior and Jungsoo…"

"Are you and Jungsoo… you know...?"

"No, no. He's very happy with Shindong and I would have to be pure evil to want to get between them."

"Oh, I didn't know; I'm really sorry."

"Don't be, Jungsoo would be flattered to know you think someone a handsome as me would mate with him." HeeChul laughed and flipped his hair playfully. " he's a Jungsoo is actually a lot like YunHyeong."

"Like YunHyeong?" Hanbin questioned.

"Let's just say some people are just from a better stock." HeeChul chuckled.

'I'm not sure I follow, but if he's anything like YunHyeong, he must be very important to you."

"He is." HeeChul agreed wistfully. "He is."

Hanbin smiled as he took on the affection plastered all over the other Betas face. Did he look like that when he talked about YunHyeong? Jiwon?

Shaking his head, Hanbin huffed and looked out over the other members still scattered around the room. As he watched JinHwan peeled away from where he was talking with Junhoe and began to head over.

"Hey Hyung." Hanbin greeted.

"Hi Bin-a, HeeChul Sunbaenim." JinHwan replied nervously.

"Nice to meet you, JaeHwan." HeeChul greeted. "You'll have to excuse me though, I've got things I need to do."

HeeChul bowed in farewell and sent Hanbin a wink over his shoulder before he moved off to attack KyungHoon.

"Well… that was all crazy, wasn't it?" JinHwan said awkwardly.

“Yeah, it’s different to actually be here than it is to watch on television.” Hanbin chuckled.

“No, I mean, what they said about you. It really makes you think, huh?” 

Hanbin turned to JinHwan with a frown and watched his Hyung pick at the edge of the worn down table.

"Think?"

"Yeah… well it made me think anyway and when did Junhoe start memorising statistics about Betas? I never even thought of half the things he was saying and having heard HeeChul's words…" JinHwan turned to Hanbin suddenly and took both of his hands in a tight grasp. "I'm really sorry Hanbin, for everything. For the way I treated you, one of my best and oldest friends, I really-"

"Hyung, it's okay."

"Hanbin-a, I don't know how you can even look at me. I've let you down so badly and I didn't even notice. I hurt you so much since debut and I was only thinking of myself this whole time; I'm a terrible Hyung."

"Jinani." Hanbin replied warmly, squeezing the smaller boy's hands in support. "I accept your apology, we all have things we have to deal with; that can cause us to act in bad ways. I'm not going to lie and say it didn't really hurt to see my best friend turn his back on me when I needed him, but I do forgive you."

"Hanbin-a." JinHwan's voice broke and he pulled away suddenly to swipe at his eyes. "This is probably the worst time I could done this, isn't it?"

"Not at all, Hyung. You could have never done it at all." Hanbin murmured, voicing his secret fear that he had lost his Hyung forever for the first time.

"I'm just sorry it took so long Hanbin-a." JinHwan sniffled.

"I get it, Hyung."

"I just got scared to be around you. You do something to people you meet, and I don't know if it affected me more after we became pack or if I just noticed it more but… I know it's no excuse, I just didn't know how to cope."

"What do you mean?" Hanbin felt the bottom of his stomach fall away at JinHwan's confession.

Was it similar to what DongHyuk had been complaining about? Was something about Hanbin unsettling his Hyung and making his pack mates uncomfortable?

"It's like… all my life society has told me to act one way. To be strong and independent; to push others and make them better but… when I'm with you I feel…" JinHwan's voice trailed off as the emotion choked him up.

"Is it bad?" 

"God, no." JinHwan exclaimed. "Hanbin when I'm with you I feel like myself; I can relax and be caring or playful or… just happy. I got scared that I would like being that person too much; that I wouldn't be able to become the _perfect_ Omega again and then I wouldn't debut or…"

Hanbin pulled JinHwan into a hug and scented along the Omega's neck. Hopefully even the faint Beta pheromones he could emit would help his distressed Hyung. As JinHwan slumped into his arms, Hanbin marveled at how similar his problems were to JinHwan's. They were both struggling to become what society told them to be; even though it went against what they personally wanted.

"I'm sorry I let it get this bad; that I wasn't there for you. I was petty and selfish, especially after how much attention you got from-" JinHwan cut himself off sharply and pulled away. "Never mind; forget I said that. An excuse is just an excuse."

"Hyung, if you want to talk about something, it's really no problem." Hanbin scanned JinHwan's face as he tried to work out what the other had been about to say.

"No, never mind. It's my own issue to deal with. From now on I won't let it come between us and I will do everything I can to help you and other Betas in any way I can."

Hanbin smiled and wrapped his arms around JinHwan again; this time in a playful manner.

"I think that will be enough, Hyung, it might just be enough."


	13. Jealous, are we?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty everyone. I'm feeling super hyper and bouncy today so I decided to upload early!!!!! So here it is.  
> I also need you all to have a look at my little questions in the notes at the end because I need some help.  
> That will be all peasants so please enjoy!  
> Leave a comment or kudo at the end of you really like the story or just want to let me know what's up. I love to read what you have to say and I will take any suggestions or critisms you have.  
> I hope you enjoy the chapter xxx

Jiwon blinked as Hanbin’s bedroom door closed with finality behind the retreating Beta. That was... _Odd_.

Hanbin had never walked away before; in fact he had never really fought back at all. Apart from the time right after WIN, when Jiwon had wrongfully blamed the Beta for the loss and they had come to blows, Hanbin had never really rebelled at all in a domestic environment. Maybe that was something Jiwon should be glad of because he had come of decidedly worse than the Beta in that fight.

It felt weird to have the Beta not bend to his will but Jiwon found himself relieved by the development. If Hanbin was able, and willing, to disobey him, it meant the other wasn’t scared of him anymore.

Still, Jiwon had really been hoping to talk to Hanbin before too long. He was already worried that his past actions had overshadowed his true desires of the night before; clearing the air between them would be for the best. Jiwon sighed, he should probably apologise as well since his first one had been interrupted and he didn’t want Hanbin to think he wasn’t sincere.

Realising he was still standing in the middle of the hallway staring at Hanbin’s door, Jiwon shook himself and turned back to the doorway, and the room behind it, that had caused his mind to panic when he had first arrived back at the dorms.

The scent of an Alpha's arousal still clung to the doorway and Jiwon’s stomach twisted at the scent of anxiety, that was clearly Hanbin’s, mixing in. Now that he knew nothing had happened, his Alpha instincts had calmed down but he was still curious as to what had occurred between his two pack mates.

Making up his mind, Jiwon rapped on the door with his knuckles before heading into his dongsaeng’s room.

Junhoewas lying across his bed on his stomach with his laptop open in front of him; the younger Alpha didn’t even look up to acknowledge Jiwon’s presence. Fighting a smile, Jiwon made his way over to the bed and tried to hold back a laugh as he spotted the younger boy’s tongue poking out between his lips in concentration.

Flopping down onto the bed, over the top of Junhoe’s back, Jiwon let himself relax and enjoy being close to his pack mate. After everything that had happened with Hanbin, Jiwon felt comforted to be around a truly ignorant and oblivious member; he was sure if he went to YunHyeong, the other would know what had happened immediately.

Thinking back to the morning and the night before, Jiwon couldn’t help but smile a little. He had... With Hanbin... They had. Giddiness bubbled up from Jiwon's stomach and he suppressed the urge to laugh. The night may have brought the answer to all his wildest dreams but the morning...

He had woken up surrounded by the scent of himself and Hanbin, of the both of them together, feeling the most rested he had in a long time. Almost on autopilot, he had made his way to the bathroom for a shower so he could get some hot water before the others used it all.

Itwasn’t until about halfway through washing his hair that Jiwon had realised his mistake. Jiwonhad finished his shower at lightning speed before sprinting back to Hanbin’s room, only to find it as empty as when he had left it.

Fearhad overtaken his mind for the few moments it took to rush around the corner and into YunHyeong’s room. The other Alpha had immediately sensed Jiwon’s urgency and not even questioned Jiwon’s need to find the Beta so early in the morning.

After the shock of what had happened at Weekly Idol, Jiwon’s heart had entered his throat every time Hanbin set off alone; scared someone would jump the Beta when he did. YunHyeong seemed to be on the same page, and once they had woken JinHwan, the Omega was also concerned for the younger boy’s safety.

If not for the craziness and worry for Hanbin, Jiwon was sure the others would have sensed the difference in him straight away; he was surprised they hadn't anyway. For Jiwon, it felt like his entire world had been turned on its head.

Lyingon Junhoe now, Jiwon was glad the younger Alpha was more instinctual and not an ametur detective like the others; it would give him some respite at least.

“Hey, June?” Jiwon murmured, wiggling around a little and digging his elbows in to get the other’s attention.

“What, Hyung? I’m busy.”

“With what?” Jiwon persited, rolling off of Junhoe to look at the screen with him.

“Hyung, now is _really_ not a good time.”

“Come on, just show me what you’re up to. I’ve barely seen you today.”

Junhoe huffed and pushed the laptop away from himself before twisting around so he was facing Jiwon. Something in the other’s eyes caught Jiwon’s attention and he immediately became even more curious about what was going on.

“Hanbin gave me a few websites to check out. It’s…” Junhoe trailed off sadly and let his head fall on his arms in defeat. “Hyung, what would you do if you found out your entire family might have lied to you for your whole life?”

“Huh?” Jiwon was shocked by the sudden question and tried to catch a glimpse of the page Junhoe had been reading to understand why he was being asked. “I guess, it depends on what it was about; what the consequences were.”

Junhoe sat up on the bed and faced away from Jiwon. His shoulders were heaving and the distressed pheromones that were pouring into the room put Jiwon on edge even more.

“The way we treated Hanbin… All this time, I-”

Jiwon swallowed, this was what Hanbin had been running away from? Well, Jiwon could definitely understand why the other had been rattled earlier.

Jiwon felt guilt flood his mind as he remembered random details of interactions with Hanbin through the years; none of them good. Pushing, shouting, and ignoring the other all paled in comparison to some of the things he had done. The knowledge of what he had done, and the stupid reason he had done it, ate Jiwon alive and he was selfishly glad he wasn’t the only one going through it.

“I know.” Jiwon whispered.

“I _hate_ them.” Junhoe ground out, angrily.

“Who?”

“My family; my pack.” Junhoe spat and stood up from the bed to start pacing around the room. “They told me a Beta needed firm and physical discipline to be able to work well.”

“Well thats-”

“When I was a child they took Betas from my pack, _my friends_ , and would hurt them; even rape- they would do horrible things to them, Hyung, and I just let it happen. I even started doing it myself… to my friends. I hurt them. I _hurt_ Hanbin.”

Jiwon moved to catch Junhoe in his arms as the other Alpha crumpled to the floor. Tears of his own began to stream down his face but Jiwon pushed his own emotions to the side to help his pack mate.

“June, there wasn’t anything you-”

“of course there was, I could have stopped them! I was obviously an Alpha, even then, if I had just spoken up... How could I have been so _stupid_ to believe anyone would want to be treated like that. I’m such an idiot. We had animals that were treated better than the Betas were. How could I not… what have I done? Oh god, Hanbin, he…”

Jiwon crushed Junhoe’s body against his own as they knelt on the floor together; crying. Junhoe’s sobs racked his entire body as he struggled to breath through his heartbreaking rambling.

“How could he ever forgive me, Hyung? How can I ever forgive _myself_?”

The words cut into Jiwon’s soul as he listened to the broken cries; rubbing a hand up and down Junhoe’s back until the other had cried himself to sleep.

After a few moments of stillness, Jiwon picked the dead weight in his arms up and moved the younger boy to the bed; tucking him under the covers with tender care. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Jiown sniffed and scrubbed at his own eyes that were gritty and aching from crying for so long.

Now that Junhoe had calmed down, Jiwon couldn’t help his mind turning to what his own parents had told him about Betas during his childhood. Could it have all been a lie? An unfounded prejudice against a whole dynamic?

Picturing his parents faces in his mind, Jiwon couldn’t imagine they would intentionally want to cause people harm but as he sat and thought about it, Jiwon couldn’t help but wonder.

His parents had always impressed the importance of tradition onto Jiwon and his pack. The idea of an Alpha as leader and protector; the Omega as the carer and support, and the Beta as… Jiwon looked down at Junhoe as the other sniffled in his sleep.

Just as the other had said, Jiwon also had memories of Betas, of children, being pulled away kicking and screaming. At the time he had thought they were weak and pitiful; now, having finally allowed Hanbin to affect him Jiwon couldn’t think about the past without feeling sick.

Dragging himself back to his room, not even bothering to wash his face, Jiwon fell into his sheets and buried his face into the pillows. The fresh scent of the laundry powder they all used filled his nose and something inside his chest ached; there was something missing. Jiwon twisted restlessly as the discomfort settled into his body.

Turning over with a huff, Jiwon came face to face with Pooh and reached out to pull the stuffed animal into his arms. Squeezing the bear tightly, Jiwon felt a small amount of comfort that came from the familiar but it still wasn’t enough to fill the emptiness that was aching within him. Jiwon could tell it was going to be a long night; giving up on sleep, he let his mind wander to the boy sleeping just down the hallway. 

_ What was he going to do? _

Jiwon's mind continued to race long into the night and he was still thinking when the sunlight began to creep around the curtains. Pushing himself to sit up in bed, Jiwon wondered how badly his makeup artist was going to scold him for the sleepless night right before filming.

The rest of the morning passed by in a tired haze until Jiwon managed to get himself into the kitchen for breakfast. YunHyeong had greeted him and continued cooking as Jiwon picked at his food. YunHyeong had bustled around him; humming quietly to himself as he worked. Slowly, the other members has trailed in as well until only Hanbin was missing.

Jiwon kept a firm hold of his fear that Hanbin had disappeared in the night; it was very unlikely anyway since as long as Jiwon had known the leader, Hanbin had never let his personal issues affect the group.

"Dong-a, leave Chanwoo-ya alone." YunHyeong scolded as he turned around with another bowl of rice and Jiwon forced himself to focus back on the members.

"Chanwoo started it." DongHyuk whined and threw a glare over at the youngest Alpha.

"I did not. You took the last egg." Chanwoo retaliated and reached over the table to tap DongHyuk's head.

"So? The food is for everyone."

"It was on _my_ plate!" Chanwoo exclaimed.

"Alright, enough you two." JinHwan grumbled from where he was already stuffing his face with the rice.

"But he-"

"Jung Chanwoo. _Enough_." YunHyeong reprimanded with a stern glare and everyone lapsed into silence.

Jiwon snorted at the matching miserable looks on the younger boys faces and they rounded their glares onto him. Shrugging, Jiwon went back to his food and looked at the empty place setting across the table. He considered putting a plate together but decided against it; Hanbin had made it clear he wanted some space so Jiwon bit his cheek and carried on eating.

Continuing to pick at his food, Jiwon felt his gaze trail back over to the door. Letting the chatter of the others wash over him and zoning out completely. Jiwon nearly jumped when Hanbin finally arrived in the kitchen and accidentally let the door slam from where he had kicked it open; his focus entirely on the mobile in his hand.

The flush on his high cheekbones from the warm water caught Jiwon's attention and the Alpha found he couldn't look away. Hanbin's  hair was tousled from the shower and he had clearly thrown on a random shirt from the washing basket in the hall to come for food because it was far too big and hanging off his shoulder. 

"Is that my shirt?" Junhoe questioned around a large mouthful.

"Maybe?" Hanbin looked down at himself in disinterest and sat down at the table.

"Jeez, ask next time. Anyone would think you were nesting. Taking my things; sleeping late." Junhoe joked but Jiwon noticed Hanbin's flinch at the words.

The Beta glanced quickly in Jiwon's direction before immediately dropping his gaze to the plate and a deeper blush spread over his face. Jiwon felt an uncomfortable squirmy feeling in his stomach at the thought of Hanbin nesting with Junhoe's clothes.

"Oh, here." Junhoe exclaimed, breaking the tention, as he passed a small bowl of tomatoes over to Hanbin who looked at them in confusion.

"Umm, thank you?"

"One of the chat rooms I visited last night said tomatoes were really good for a Beta's immune system; you've been looking a little pale lately, so I thought…"

"I'm fine; you don't have to worry about me." Hanbin replied defensively but popped a tomato into his mouth anyway.

"June's right, Bin-a." YunHyeong called from the sink where he was washing up. "I think you've lost a bit of weight as well; you need your strength for the comeback."

"Yes… thank you." Hanbin replied, clearly uncomfortable as he wrapped his arms round his waist, but a soft smile appeared on his lips.

The gentle teasing continued for a few minutes but Jiwon got caught up in watching Hanbin's careful movements. The other boy had definitely lost some weight over the last few weeks; his cheeks had become much more defined while his arms had shrunk, but at least the flashes of pain across his face had stopped for the moment.

They all finished eating quickly, with only a few squabbles over who got the last of what, and then sat around to discuss what exactly would happen for the filming.

Hanbin had run through everything a few nights ago but it was always good to have it fresh in the mind. After everything was settled, the members began to leave to pack up and get ready.

Jiwon watched as Hanbin took his plate over to be rinsed and put away. Jiwon tried desperately not to stare at the younger boy's ass as he went; instead coughing and fiddling with his chopsticks.

"I'll see you guys in a bit." Hanbin smiled as he dried his hands before reaching out to ruffle Junhoe's hair. "Thanks for the tomatoes, Ju-ne."

All the remaining boys froze as Hanbin left the kitchen. Now _that_ was odd. Junhoe seemed completely shell shocked as he reached up to touch his hair; the dopey expression that appeared on his face making Jiwon's hackles rise in annoyance. 

First, Hanbin was latched onto YunHyeong and now he was being affection with Junhoe; all the while avoiding Jiwon. Anger began to cloud over Jiwon's mind and he quickly excused himself to calm down in his room. He had no right to get angry at Hanbin; they were all pack and it was his own issues, and his issues alone, that caused him to react in the way he did.

After taking a few deep breaths and brushing his teeth, Jiwon realised it was time to go and headed out to the van. Trying to be considerate of Hanbin's wish for space he chose a spot with Chanwoo and buckled himself in.

The journey wasn't very long but Jiwon spent the entire ride with his teeth gritted together as he watched Hanbin rest his head on YunHyeong's shoulder for a short nap. The flare of irritation from earlier redoubled its strength and Jiwon had to wonder why he was suddenly so affected by Hanbin's actions.

When they arrived, Jiwon continued to fume as Hanbin seemingly attached himself to JinHwan but shook himself out of it when he caught the scent of Hanbin's fear. It didn't take a genius to realise why Hanbin was feeling uncomfortable; since the last time they had come to a studio he had been- Jiwon swallowed and shut the thought down immediately.

Feeling powerless to help, the desire to just pull Hanbin against him warring with the knowledge Hanbin wanted space, Jiwon spent the rest of the morning glaring at everyone that approached the Beta. It had gone pretty well, and Hanbin had remained oblivious, until Jiwon had been forced to leave just as the stylist was putting the finishing touches on Hanbin's lips. Jiwon just hoped nothing bad had happened in the few minutes they were separated.

After that, it has been a whirlwind to get ready and in place for the filming. Jiwon lost sight of Hanbin in the bustle but told himself to remain calm and trust the rest of the pack to protect him; after all, it has been him that had caused the incident last time. Maybe Hanbin was right to want space from him.

Once they had all lined up, Jiwon watched the stage hand give the count down and forced a smile on to his face; letting the Bobby mask take over for a little while. When the door opened, he bounced onto the set with a holler and enjoyed watching the reactions of the hosts; HeeChul especially.

The dramatics were almost expected from the older man but Jiwon couldn't help but wonder why he, an extremely established senior, would be excited to see _them_ in particular. After HeeChul had returned to his seat, Jiwon allowed the conversation to fill his mind and he forgot about the strange behaviour from earlier; chipping in with a few jokes and stories of his own as the filming continued. It wasn't until Soogeun spoke up that Jiwon was reminded but, as soon as he was Jiwon latched onto the conversation desperately.

Hearing the words from HeeChul sent a buzzing through Jiwon's skull and he whipped around in time to see Hanbin's jaw drop before the leader pulled himself together and bowed deeply as a delicious blush spread over his cheeks.

Watching HeeChul round the desk to speak so earnestly with Hanbin left Jiwon in shock as he watched the exchange. Was what Hanbin was doing really that important for Betas? Surely there had been others before him?

However, as they two Betas talked Jiwon felt the realisation slap him in the face. Of course there was no one like Hanbin, Hanbin was _Hanbin_ , for a Beta to become a leader and be so successful must have taken something superhuman. Jiwon felt the familiar guilt build up in his chest again at the fact that he had played a part in trying to push Hanbin down; it only proved how special the other boy was that he had come out on top.

As the other hosts chimed in with their own recollections of Hanbin and iKON, Jiwon leaned forward to grip the desk in support. It was too much to contemplate. How could he have been so stupid?

Looking back over at Hanbin, with his polished hair and flawless makeup, he didn't really look like himself, but there was something raw and emotional shining in his eyes that was undeniably _real_. Jiwon found he couldn't take his eyes off the other boy. Off the flush on his cheeks; off the plump lip caught between teeth; off the slender hands that fiddled with the cue cards. He just couldn't tear his attention away, at least, not until Hanbin turned in his direction and their eyes met.

Jiwon felt a flash of energy travel down his spine at the interaction but forced himself not to react, not with the cameras on him, and remained still with a lazy smile on his face. Hanbin turned back around quickly but the fizzle of electricity remained in Jiwon's body. Now, _that_ had definitely never happened before. Trying to force himself to remain calm, Jiwon ignored the nagging in his head about what could have caused the connection between them. It couldn't have been his rut, it had finished too quickly and Betas couldn't even mate with Alphas… could they?

Taking a deep breath, Jiwon pushed the thoughts to the side. Now really wasn't the time; he could ask Junhoe, the new resident Beta expert, later and with any luck sort everything out before the others noticed anything was amiss.

Jiwon was distracted for the rest of the filming and didn't even notice when the director declared the episode finished. He went round in a haze, thanking and saying farewell to the hosts as best he could.

He _did_ notice, however, when HeeChul bounced his way over to speak with Hanbin again. The senior was being entirely too familiar with Hanbin and Jiwon felt his anger cut through the fog in his mind like a knife. 

Hanbin was jittery and smiling wider than seemed physically possible, it was obvious he idolised the other man, and Jiwon felt something in his chest ache as he watched. Why had he never looked at Jiwon like that?

When Hanbin accepted HeeChul's phone to exchange numbers, Jiwon had had enough and excused himself to head back to the dressing room. Once he was alone, Jiwon let his anger explode out of him and kicked at the wall. Stupid Betas, stupid HeeChul.

Taking some more deep breaths and having a few more well aimed kicks, Jiwon forced himself to calm down completely; deciding he needed to deal with the situation and soon.

When everyone was finished and ready to leave, Jiwon made sure to follow Hanbin into the van and grab the seat next to him.

"This alright?" Jiwon asked gently when Hanbin flinched at their proximity.

"Yeah, yeah, no problem."

Jiwon relaxed slightly with Hanbin's reply and settled in for the ride. Hanbin turned to look out of the window and started unknotting his headphones; Jiwon scrambled for something to say.

"Did you enjoy today?"

"Yeah, it was really nice." Hanbin smiled and Jiwon breathed a sigh of relief when the Beta twisted to face him. "Did you enjoy it, Hyung?"

"I didn't know you were so close with HeeChul Sunbaenim." Jiwon ventured after nodding in reply.

"Oh, I'm not- or at least I wasn't…" Hanbin stuttered and Jiwon noticed the warm flush on his cheeks.

"Really? You both looked close to me."

"You think so?" Hanbin asked eagerly.

"Definitely." Jiwon laughed; all earlier jealousy melting away in the face of Hanbin's happiness. "What did you talk about?"

"Simple stuff. He gave me some advice about being in the industry and stuff."

"Lucky you." Jiwon smiled. "Hey, about all the stuff he was saying, about Beta rights and all that…"

"What about it, Hyung?"

"Well, I realised I don't know much about it; so I was wondering if maybe you would sit down with me to talk it all over."

"I-" Hanbin's eyes widened in shock before an even bigger smile appeared on his face. "I would love that."

"Great. Just let me know when you have time."

"I always have time for you, Hyung."

The simple words made Jiwon's heart thud in his chest and he swallowed to moisten his mouth. How could Hanbin say such things so carelessly.

"That's- yes well.. thank you."

"Of course."

"Do you… do you have anything you're involved in right now?" Jiwon asked carefully after a few moments of silence.

"Not right now, no, but I was in talks a few weeks ago about possibly performing at a Beta college."

"Really? Why didn't you say anything?"

"It fell through because of- well, it just fell through."

"Oh… we should see if they would still be interested. I'm sure we could do it after the comeback." Jiwon suggested.

"It's not that simple." Hanbin muttered and Jiwon frowned at the sudden change in the others mood.

"Right."

"I didn't mean… it's a good idea; I'm sure with you on board it would go through." Hanbin rushed to reassure and Jiwon found himself confused by Hanbin's words.

"It's not just me, Bin-a, I'm sure the others would also be-" Suddenly, Jiwon realised what Hanbin has been implying. "Oh… you mean because I'm an Alpha?"

Hanbin nodded and looked down at his lap to fiddle with his earphone strings.

"Did someone purposely stop the performance?" Jiwon asked slowly as he began to piece everything together.

"It's really not that simple, Hyung." Hanbin replied sadly. "Besides, it doesn't matter now; we can try again with everyone."

"Yeah, but if someone is causing you issues in YG you can-"

" _Jiwon_." Hanbin stopped the Alpha's tirade with a gentle hand over Jiwon's clenched fists. "It's fine. I can handle it."

Jiwon watched Hanbin for a few minutes; there was something lurking in his eyes that told Jiwon that wasn't the whole story but he was loath to push any further.

"Okay, but let me know if anything changes."

"Yeah." Hanbin's lips quirked up again and Jiwon mentally patted himself on the back for making the right choice.

It was nice to just sit with Hanbin and not have to worry about any weird signals he was sending out or think about who might the watching.

Jiwon had always felt on edge around the Beta and at first he had refused to look any deeper. When YG had introduced Jiwon to Hanbin as a trainee, he had been appalled to find a Beta in the same company as him; especially when he had worked so hard to get there.

Then it had been outrage that he had been passed over as leader for a Beta that was younger than him; for years after that Jiwon had stubbornly held his grudge despite how obvious it was that Hanbin was the best leader they could have.

Slowly, as Hanbin had chipped away at his defenses, Jiwon had let his old anger go and started to feel… something else. The long nights in the recording studio; hours spent perfecting a dance, and several setbacks had proved just how capable Hanbin was.

Even though Jiwon could have admitted that being a Beta didn't hold Hanbin back years ago, he hadn't for the sake of his Alpha pride. With the hard taught lessons of his childhood ringing in his ears about what he should and should not do; it was hard to shrug off the past and treat Hanbin differently.

Maybe he would have been able to change his behaviour, Jiwon thought, if he hadn't felt an inescapable draw towards the other boy. Knowing one thing and feeling another had been hard and Jiwon had overcompensated to hide his true feelings away; he could see than now. Hindsight was definitely a bitch.

Looking back over at Hanbin, Jiwon wondered how he had ever hated the other boy, how blind he must have been back then, when every single part of Hanbin was stunning, inside and out.

"You umm… you had a song idea a few days ago, right?" Jiwon tried to restart the conversation; on a much more neutral ground this time.

"Yeah, just a few melodies I wanted to try out."

"Would you… would you maybe want to work on it together? We have a free day tomorrow, I think."

"Yeah, we do." Hanbin grinned. "That would be cool. We can set up in my studio; no one ever disturbs me there."

"Sounds good." Jiwon agreed after only a slight hesitation, Hanbin didn't seem to have noticed the insinuation in his words. Did he want them to be undisturbed for work reasons… or for  _other_ reasons?

Jiwon inwardly groaned, why was everything with Hanbin so complex and confusing? He really needed to find time to have that talk; settle things once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Questionnaire for legends.  
> Welcome friends. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and a glimpse on Jiwon's POV. Let me know how you think it went!
> 
> Also, as some of you may remember I asked a while back what you wanted to go down with DongHyuk, Chanwoo and Junhoe since I haven't decided on definant pairings with them.  
> I'm asking for causal sexy time pairing or long term bonding pairings or anything in between.  
> Just let me know what you want to see and I will take them all into consideration.
> 
> On a side note, I have decided that Chanwoo is going to be ace/demisexual because represention of a much forgotten group thank you very much.  
> BUT, being demi might mean he is okay with pack sexy times. So let me know if you want a full ace unicorn or a dabbling demi. I'm open to both.
> 
> Thank you once again for reading and taking some time to read my nonsensical notes.  
> Have a great day xxx


	14. Melody of my heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahoy everyone.  
> I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the summer sunshine. I know I'm not, snow people just weren't made for the kind of temperatures I'm having right now. Although I'm sure loads of you have it so much worse. Yikes.  
> Sorry for how evil this chapter is. I meant it to have some nice fluff in it, I really did, but as I was writing I decided I didn't like it in this part and I've moved it so.... I'm sorry. But you can look forward to that coming soon.  
> Anyways, please leave a kudo if you enjoy the story and I absolutely love to ready your comments, so please leave loads of them as well. (They are the only things keeping me going through work rn :'( )  
> I hope you enjoy the chapter!

The next day, Hanbin woke up far earlier than he normally would on a free day, even if he was planning to go into the studio for work. Lying in bed for a few moments, Hanbin couldn’t help humming the slow melody of the song he had been working on in his head for the last few days and looking up at the ceiling as he thought.

Jiwon’s request had definitely taken Hanbin by surprise. After the night they had spent together, Jiwon had clearly been avoiding him and Hanbin wasn’t entirely sure what Jiwon had in mind when he suggested they worked on a song together. In the past, Jiwon had tolerated him for the sole reason of being professional and creating music for the group but now it was all so much more complicated.

Hanbin sighed and finally dragged himself out of bed. After showering, Hanbin threw on a large hoodie and some comfy sweats to shuffle into the kitchen for breakfast. Standing aimlessly in front of the fridge for a few moments Hanbin eventually gave up and grabbed a yoghurt that he was pretty sure belonged to Chanwoo. Hanbin then moved to sit at the table and distractedly mixed the yoghurt around the pot.

Was he meant to wait in the dorms until Jiwon was ready to go or should he head over and start working? Did Jiwon expect them to get straight to it or was he expecting small talk before hand? Hanbin groaned and let his head fall onto the table with a loud thud, they had never actually made a solid plan during the ride home.

Hanbin continued to wallow in his own cynicalism and noisy brain until he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. Pulling out the device, Hanbin swiped up to read the new message.

 

**Pack Alpha.**

**Morning Bin-a. I went out with Minho Hyung for breakfast so I’ll meet you at the studio in 10 mins?**

 

**Hanbin.**

**Yeah. See you then, Hyung.**

 

Hanbin quickly typed out the reply and jumped up from the table, slamming his knee against the wood, and barely having time to grab his mask and hat before he was out of the door and sprinting down the road. If he kept up the pace the usual twenty five minute walk would take about ten minutes, Hanbin grit his teeth and pushed himself to go faster still.

Skidding around the corner on his way to the YG building, Hanbin gave himself a mental pat on the back for all the cardio he had been putting in at the gym; the only problem being the need to keep pulling up his trousers as he ran. He was sure he had bought the right size of sweats when he went shopping with Jinwoo last month.

When the top of the building come into view above the skyline, Hanbin put on an extra burst of speed to make sure he was there on time. Weaving his way through the other pedestrians on the street, Hanbin side stepped quickly to avoid a woman with a pushchair and bumped into a solid wall of muscle.

The enormous Alpha grunted from the collision and Hanbin jumped back to bow quickly in apology.

“I’m so sorry, sir.” Hanbin leaned over, breathing heavily.

“That’s alright darling.” The Alpha smiled and patted Hanbin’s shoulder heavily; his touch lingering a little too long to be comfortable. “It’s no hard feelings to bump into a pretty thing like you.”

“Right…” Hanbin swallowed, feeling uneasy. “I’m really sorry, but I’m in a rush. Are you injured?”

“Not at all.” The burly Alpha smirked and looked Hanbin up and down. “It’s a shame you have to leave though, an appropriate apology would be to buy me a coffee or something.”

“I’m so sorry, sir, perhaps another time. My Pack Alpha is waiting and I need to get somewhere. Sorry again.” Hanbin yelled over his shoulder, already jogging away from the man and cursing his luck.

Despite the accident, Hanbin made it into the reception with a few moments to spare and darted into the lift when the doors opened just in time. Leaning back against the cold mirrored wall to catch his breath, Hanbin fumbled with his phone to see if Jiwon had messaged to say he was already waiting at the studio; instead he found another message from the Alpha.

 

**Pack Alpha.**

**Can we delay the meeting? Minho Hyung got us stuck in traffic; it’s going to take us about half an hour to get there.**

 

Hanbin closed his eyes in frustration and let his head fall back to hit the wall behind him. Scrunching his face up to suppress the urge to scream, Hanbin bit his lip and slowly opened the messaging app.

 

**Hanbin.**

**That’s fine with me. I only just left the dorms anyway.**

 

**Pack Alpha.**

**Lol. Sleepyhead :) see you soon.**

 

After using the ride up to his floor to regain his breath, Hanbin slowly padded down the hallway and unlocked his studio. Switching on the lights and turning on his computer to warm up, Hanbin headed back to the toilets to wash his face and try to dry off the sweat patches that had developed on the mad dash over.

The overpowering stench of the Alpha was also ingrained into the shoulder of his hoodie and Hanbin took it off the run it under the water for a bit. Drying it under the hand dryer, Hanbin cautiously sniffed to see if any traces of the scent remained but found it pleasantly neutral.

By the time he had freshened up and returned to the studio, Jiwon still hadn’t arrived; so Hanbin picked up his headphones and started tinkering with some of the other songs he had been working on while he waited. He was just beginning to get into the chorus on one of them when Jiwon’s characteristic scent reached his nose and Hanbin twisted around in his chair.

Jiwon froze in the middle of slipping off his jacket and sent Hanbin an awkward little wave with a grin. Hanbin couldn’t help but chuckle as he tugged off his headphones to face the Alpha.

“Have a good breakfast?” Hanbin asked while the Alpha hung up his coat and settled himself in the other chair.

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t tell you before but Minho suddenly offered to meet up when I was talking to him last night; so it was all pretty last minute.”

“That’s alright.”

“Have you eaten?”

“Yeah.” Hanbin answered, feeling slightly guilty as he thought of the barely eaten yoghurt pot he had left on the kitchen table in his haste to reach the studio on time. “Did you have something particular you wanted to work on or did you want to get straight into the new one?”

“I don’t mind. I’ll leave it up to you since you’re the genius here.” Jiwon wiggled his eyebrows playfully as he spoke.

Hanbin froze and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Deciding not to question Jiwon’s bizarre behaviour, Hanbin simply nodded and turned back to his desktop. Closing down the folder he had been working on, Hanbin opened up a new window where he had already created the skeleton of the melody that had been maddeningly floating around in his mind.

“This is what I've got so far, do you want to listen?”

“Absolutely.” Jiwon agreed, plugging one of the spare sets of headphones into the computer and settling in to get to work.

They worked comfortably for a few hours, the only difference to usual being the casual touches that Jiwon initiated. At first it was only the occasional touch to Hanbin's arm or shoulder but it had soon migrated to Hanbin's neck and upper thigh as well. Jiwon had even thrown his arm around Hanbin's waist as they sat listening to one of the drafts.

The atmosphere was light and friendly in a way that Hanbin had never experienced before. Even with YunHyeong, there had always been a need to prove that he didn't need to be coddled or protected all the time. With Jiwon, it all felt natural and as they sat together Hanbin felt the jumpiness that seemed to always exist in his chest settle down.

They had made good headway into the song by the time Hanbin sat back to stretch out his aching back. Leaning back in his chair and extending his hands up above his head, Hanbin couldn’t contain the low groan that escaped him at the amazing feeling. Slumping back, Hanbin looked over at Jiwon and found the other already staring at him; a light flush on his cheeks.

“Are you alright, Hyung?” Hanbin questioned, worried Jiwon was feeling unwell.

“Yeah- Yeah… I’m good.” Jiwon coughed to clear his throat and shifted in his chair. “Are you ready for a break?”

“I don’t mind.” Hanbin shrugged and checked his watch. “It’s nearly time for lunch.”

“Why don’t we pause for an early lunch and then get back to it after? You know I can't concentrate when I'm hungry and it will be too busy later on.”

“Sounds good.” Hanbin agreed and pushed his chair back to grab his hoodie that he had left hanging up so it could dry fully. “What do you want to get?”

“I’m happy with anything. Do you just want to head to the cafeteria? It’s a free day afterall and I’m feeling lazy.”

“Up to you, Hyung.” Hanbin shrugged. “I can pick up anything you want. I guess the only thing you need to decide is how hungry you are because if the shop is further away I’ll need more time to-”

“What are you talking about, Bin-a?” Jiwon interrupted.

“You wanted to have lunch, didn’t you?” Hanbin frowned in confusion.

“Yeah, that’s why we’re talking about where _we_ want to go to eat. What are you talking about?”

“We...? You want to go and eat _together_?”

“Yes… I wanted to spend time with you today; that extends to eating together.”

Hanbin’s jaw dropped open at Jiwon’s words, the Alpha had been acting nicer in recent days but Hanbin hadn’t expected him to be so blunt about it. They have never, _ever_  gone out to eat together in the past and especially not by themselves; without the other members acting as a buffer.

Ignoring the little niggle in his head that Jiwon was trying to lull him into a false sense of security, Hanbin nodded his head slowly. Jiwon hadn’t been a good Alpha, by any stretch of the imagination, in the past but he never been deliberately malicious in such a way that involved him tricking Hanbin. Revenge wasn’t something the Alpha had engaged in, probably because he had never seen the need when he could just punish him outright.

“Alright. So, where do you want to go?”

“Do you want to try the famous new restaurant that opened up by the subway station?” Jiwon suggested with a smile and Hanbin felt his heart sink.

“That’s a pretty exclusive place.”

“And? We can get in anywhere; we’re celebrities Bin-a.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Hanbin murmured quietly and swallowed past the frustration that was building in him. These kind of situations were always so embarrassing but it was so much different when it was Jiwon.

“Get what? Bin-a, what’s wrong?” Jiwon stepped forwards in concern; reaching out to touch Hanbin’s arm but Hanbin shrugged him off.

“It’s exclusive. As in _exclusively not Beta._ ”

“That’s a thing? How can they get away with that?” Jiwon asked in shock.

Hanbin simply shrugged again and wrapped his arms around himself. It probably shouldn’t surprise him that Jiwon hadn’t noticed all the times restaurants had tried to turn Hanbin away when the group went out to eat during a celebration, or just in general really, and the place was considered too fancy for a Beta.

Somehow, being bullied and continually insulted by the Alpha had hurt less than this sudden confrontation with just how insignificant he had clearly been to the other. The little things that happened on a daily basis had definitely gone unnoticed and it only served to remind Hanbin how different he was to the rest of his pack; to the majority of the world’s population. It only served to make Jiwon’s, and the other members', behaviour changes even more confusing to Hanbin.

“I’m sorry, I… I didn’t know. We can go somewhere else, _anywhere_ else, where do you want to go?”

“Hyung, why are you doing this?” Hanbin asked as the kindness in Jiwon’s voice overwhelmed him and Hanbin took several steps backwards to escape the gentleness in the Alpha's eyes.

“Doing what? Hanbin, I-”

“Please… _please_ , just stop.” Hanbin choked out, his back colliding with the wall. “I can’t do this. What do you want from me?”

“Nothing, Hanbin. What’s going on?”

“It’s **that**!” Hanbin gestured vaguely at Jiwon and yelled out in frustration but it came out warped by the heaving sobs that were now taking over. “Why are you doing this? You’re talking to me nicely and treating me like… like… I’m someone _important_ to you. If you’re just feeling guilty about what happened at Weekly Idol, you don’t have to, I don’t blame you.”

“Hanbin-” Jiwon tried to interrupt and reached forward again but Hanbin slapped his hand away.

“ **Don’t touch me!** Don’t you think there's been enough harm already? It’s disgusting, you and me, I can’t even think about what happened because every time I do it just… I just…” Hanbin’s voice broke down as he finally voiced his own disgust at himself and his actions against Jiwon that night.

“Harm done? Disgusting? Hanbin what do you-?” Jiwon paused and his eyes widened; his skin turning green much like it had done back in the Weekly Idol toilets. “Are you telling me that- that… you didn’t want that to happen?”

“Of course _not_.” Hanbin sobbed and he slid down the wall as his knees gave way. This was it, this was when Jiwon would realise what Hanbin had done and punish him accordingly. “How could you think I would want to do that? I couldn’t control myself; I couldn’t stop it no matter how hard I fought-. The pheromones and your Alpha voice, I just- and I was in… so it...”

It was a last defence; a feeble excuse but Hanbin couldn’t stop himself from saying the words. If Jiwon was going to tell him to leave the pack or iKON, which he had every right to do, Hanbin couldn’t let it happen without at least trying to explain himself.

“ _Fuck_.” Jiwon pushed his hands through his hair and pulled at the strands, tears of his own beginning to leak down his face. “Fuck, Hanbin, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… I’m just like them. I did that to you and I didn’t even realise.”

Jiwon’s words confused Hanbin as they floated into his wildly spiraling brain. What was Jiwon talking about? He hadn’t done anything to- Hanbin suddenly froze as he realised how drastically badly Jiwon had mistaken Hanbin’s outburst. Jiwon thought Hanbin hadn’t wanted to have sex that night; Jiwon thought that he had raped him; not the other way around.

Not only had he had sex with Jiwon without his consent, but now he had also manipulated Jiwon into thinking it was the other way around as well. What was wrong with him?

“No, wait, Jiwon that’s not-” Hanbin tried to explain in a panic.

“Don’t. I can't hear you say it doesn't matter, not this time.” Jiwon choked. “I need to get out of here.”

Hanbin watched helplessly and finally gave into his sobs as Jiwon sprinted from the room and his mind gave up. He was a monster to have caused the other so much pain, especially when he knew how much such a violation of self could hurt, and it made him feel sick to his core. Burying his face into his knees, Hanbin let the despair rack his body to the point where it became painful.

Hanbin wasn’t sure how long he stayed curled up against the wall but the sudden slamming of his studio door made his head whip up in fright. Had Jiwon told someone what he had done? Had they come to take him to the police? Or much worse, had they come to get their own revenge for the Alpha?

“Look at the bitch.” An Alpha girl sneered as she looked down at him. “Already crying and we haven’t even touched him yet.”

The words were met with a few taunting laughs from the crowd of at least five others that surrounded the girl. Looking up through his blurry eyes, Hanbin thought he recognised a few of them as trainees from the acting program but he couldn't be sure.

“What do you say we have a little fun with him?” Another voice spoke from the group looming above him.

“Oh, absolutely.” The first girl replied. “We need to teach this slut a lesson for getting Bobby Sunbaenim in trouble and causing him to lose his Alpha position.”

“What did you do to him, huh?” Another Alpha male spat as he knelt down in front of Hanbin and gripped his chin to tug his head upwards. “Why did we just see Bobby Sunbaenim running out of here like he was going to throw up? Did you try and spread your nasty Beta disease to him?”

Hanbin choked on another sob and tried to pull his face away. As much as he knew he deserved whatever was coming to him, his body wasn’t listening and uselessly tried to escape the Alpha’s painful hold.

“Answer the question, Bitch.” The Alpha growled and slapped Hanbin’s face so hard it knocked him sideways; the taste of blood bursting over his tongue.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m-”

Hanbin’s desperate pleas were cut off as a foot collided with his stomach and the wind was knocked out of him. The blow made Hanbin’s head spin and he pulled his knees up to try and protect his stomach.

“ _Pathetic_.” A voice above him spat and Hanbin felt something wet land on his cheek where his face was crushed against the floor. Several more forceful blows were aimed at his stomach and Hanbin cried out as one landed on his hand where it was wrapped spring his middle.

A brutal hand tangled in his hair and pulled Hanbin up so his body was bent at an unnatural angle; straining his neck. Hanbin grunted and reached up to try and pry at the fingers ripping out his hair. A brutal punch landed square on his jaw - knocking Hanbin back down to the floor.

“Don’t touch me, you stupid shit.” The voice growled. “Get him on his feet.”

Several more pairs of rough hands tugged Hanbin upwards and slammed him back against the wall. Hanbin’s head rang with the force of the collision against the hard brick. Bright spots exploded across his vision and Hanbin groaned softly.

The sickening smell of an Alpha invaded Hanbin’s senses and the bruising grip on his chin returned. Forcing his eyes open, Hanbin took in the angry gaze of the girl in front of him and swallowed in fear. With a smirk, the girl forced his head side to side humiliatingly easy, as if he was a doll, before slamming it back again. Hanbin gasped in surprise at the blow and felt wetness dribble down his chin.

“Disgusting. I feel sorry for your pack, having to look at your Beta face every day.”

“Why don’t you just leave already? No one wants you here.” Another of the group chimed in and Hanbin felt another glob of spit splatter onto his face.

"Well, I'm sure he's useful as a stress reliever at least." The Alpha boy jeered.

The group all laughed cruelly and the hand on Hanbin's chin moved to his hair; forcing Hanbin’s head back. The Alpha holding him then leaned in and took a heaving breath along the delicate skin of Hanbin’s neck.

“Fucking slut. How did you manage to get all those Alphas into bed huh? Did you get down on your knees for them as soon as they looked in your direction?”

Hanbin grit his teeth and tried not to shove at the body caging him in, it would only make things worse after all. The Alpha remained poised over his neck and Hanbin tensed every time he felt the scalding breath on his skin; a fine tremor beginning to spread.

“Do you want to get on your knees for us?” The Alpha purred.

“Yeah, show the slut who’s in charge.” Someone yelled out from the group and several others muttered in agreement.

“You heard them.”

Hanbin set his jaw in refusal. As much as he didn’t want to cause any more issues, he did deserve this after all, Hanbin couldn’t bring himself to obey. The faces of his pack members after they had discovered what had happened at Weekly Idol rose in his mind and, while Hanbin wasn’t sure of their exact reasons, he knew he couldn’t put them through it again.

The thought of what they would do to these trainees, and how that would only anger more people in the company, made Hanbin begin to shake even more and he still couldn’t force himself to kneel.

“Is that a no?” The female Alpha pushed her way into Hanbin’s space; joining the other where he was pressed against Hanbin’s front. “No matter, we can have fun right here.”

The feeling of the Alpha’s slimy lips against his made Hanbin gag and he couldn’t stop the knee jerk reaction to push the girl away from him. The girl stumbled back with an outraged cry but Hanbin couldn’t see what happened as a fist suddenly smashed into his face; launching him sideways.

“You bitch!” The girl screeched, striding forwards and clenching harsh fingers around Hanbin’s neck she forced him back into an upright position. “How _dare_ you disobey me.”

The fingers around his neck tightened and Hanbin scrambled to try and stop it. As his airway was cut off a distressed whine was all that could escape his throat and Hanbin hated himself for being so weak. As the pressure around his neck grew, Hanbin’s eyes felt like they were going to be popped out of his head and his body jerked as it instinctively tried to drag in air.

“Do you think you are above us because you got lucky enough to be in a successful group? You think that makes up for you being a lowlife, good for nothing _Beta_ slut? How dare you lay a hand-”

“ _Let go of him!_ ” A voice roared from the doorway.

Hanbin crashed to the floor as the hand around his throat suddenly disappeared. He must have been delirious from the lack of air because Hanbin could swear that it had been Jiwon’s voice in the doorway.

"Get the fuck out of here." The rescuer’s voice, Hanbin refused to accept Jiwon had come back to save him, growled again. "I don't want to see your faces ever again."

Trying to drag in rattling breaths through his aching throat Hanbin couldn’t stop the little whines that escaped him and black dots waved in front of his vision. Turning his face into the carpeted floor to try and hide his pathetic state, Hanbin tried not to flinch as accessing hands began to run over his body.

"Hanbin? Can you hear me? Just open your eyes for me, Baby." A concerned voice echoed around in Hanbin's ears and he turned his head to find the familiar face of his Alpha swimming in his vision.

"Ji-" Hanbin cut off in a whine as talking grated on his throat.

"It's okay, Baby, I've got you now. I've got you."

Hanbin reacted instinctively to the tremor in the Alpha's voice and tried to push himself closer but the movement put pressure on his injured hand. Hanbin yelped and snatched his hand into his chest, to cradle it protectively.

"Fuck, Baby." Jiwon muttered, his strong arms wrapping gently around Hanbin's torso to settle him in the Alpha's arms. "You just sit right there; I'm going to get help."

Hanbin hummed and stopped listening to the deep vibration of the Alpha's voice as he talked to someone. The comforting scent of his pack soaked into Hanbin's mind and he found himself unable to move from the warm embrace. The pain still zipped along his chest and face with every breath but at least his mind could rest knowing the Alpha was there.

"Come on, Bin-a. I'm going to lift you up, nice and easy, so we can go and get some help.

Hanbin stayed docile as the strong arms slid under his legs and back but immediately yelped and struggled as the sudden vertical movement jarred his ribs.

"It's alright, it's alright." Jiwon hushed him as he tried to adjust the Beta in his arms. "Just bare with it… please, Baby, you need help."

Hanbin was already beginning to get woozy from the pain and his head lulled back against the Alpha's chest.

"Bin? Baby? You still with me?" Jiwon asked desperately as he picked up the pace down the halls of the building.

"Jiwon-" Hanbin tried to reply, to assure his Alpha that he was fine, but couldn't force anything else out beyond the name.

"Okay, it's okay, I'm here." Jiwon repeated like a mantra but Hanbin's focus had already slipped again and the words floated past him without meaning.

Hanbin was aware of being loaded into a car and voices speaking over him, but it felt so nice to be wrapped in his Alpha's arms that Hanbin found he couldn't care less where he was. The rocking motion of the vehicle seemed to last for a matter of seconds, or was it hours, before Hanbin was being scooped up and carried again.

"Nearly there, Bin-a, we're nearly home." Jiwon murmured and Hanbin simply moaned in response.

Hanbin flinched as he heard the crash of a door but the scents of _Pack_ and _Home_ soon overwhelmed his swirling brain and he melted in the supporting arms again.

The smells grew stronger as his Alpha carried him into another room and lay him gently on a soft surface. Hanbin sighed as the cushions gave way beneath him, it felt amazing.

Jiwon fussed over him a little bit, checking his eyes and pulse before pulling away to get help but Hanbin snapped out his hand and gripped Jiwon's wrist, stopping the movement.

"Baby, please, you need to let me go so we can sort you out."

"No, Alpha, I want you here." Hanbin called out deliriously and reached out again; nearly rolling off the sofa in his desperation to hold on.

"Wait, Bin-a, stop you'll hurt yourself." Jiwon grabbed Hanbin's shoulder to stop his movement but it sent a pulse of agony through Hanbin's body and he yelped. " _Shit_ , Bin, I didn't-"

"What is going on here?" Another voice suddenly thundered through the room and Hanbin's brain struggled to comprehend the chaos around him as his instincts fired up to _protect_ and _hide_.

"Hyung, he was-"

"What the fuck did you do, Jiwon?" The other boy yelled and Hanbin finally recognised the other Alpha, but why was YunHyeong shouting?

"Wait, it's not what-"

"Get away from him." YunHyeong growled as he stalked forwards.

Hanbin frowned, why were his pack fighting? Blinking heavily to try and clear his wavy vision, Hanbin's heart jumped into his throat as he saw YunHyeong prowling towards Jiwon.

"Wait, Hyung-" Hanbin tried to speak up, but it was lost in the clamour.

"I let you see him alone because I thought- I thought... and you do _this_? What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Alpha, please-" Hanbin tried again; forcing himself to sit up and a cough racked his body.

"I could kill you right now, that's what you deserve."

Hanbin screamed as he watched YunHyeong prepare to pounce, the Alpha's presence suffocating the room, and adrenaline spurred Hanbin up and across the room. Shoving himself between the two poised Alpha, Hanbin threw his arms up; grunting in pain.

"Stop fighting." Hanbin shouted.

YunHyeong drew up short and he rapidly looked between Jiwon and Hanbin, his chest heaving in anger.

"Don't defend him Hanbin-a."

"I'm not, it wasn't him." Hanbin yelled desperately, needing his point to get across as his knees began to buckle. "It _wasn't_ him."

The last words were whispered out into the room but, in the silence, it felt like a scream. Hanbin felt like the last of his strength had left him as he defended his Alpha and when YunHyeong hesitantly backed away Hanbin fell backwards into Jiwon’s waiting arms.

There was a scrambling of feet down the hallway and suddenly a flustered JinHwan appeared around the corner; drawing up short as he took in the scene in front of him. Hanbin watched the Omega look around at all of them in confusion but he couldn’t make his eyes focus as Jiwon hoisted him up against his chest.

“What’s going on?” JinHwan finally asked; moving cautiously into the room with his hands raised.

“That’s what _I_ want to know.” YunHyeon growled under his breath as he glared at Jiwon over Hanbin’s shoulder.

“I’m not entirely sure.” Jiwon spoke slowly, as if trying to work out what had happened himself. “I was out of the studio for only about ten minutes and then I heard… There was a crowd of trainees, I think, and they were attacking him.”

“You serious?” JinHwan gasped and bustled forward pressing gentle fingers to Hanbin’s face.

“You left him, _again_?” YunHyeong exploded, but this time his lunge was intercepted by JinHwan.

Hanbin whined and stumbled back to press closer to Jiwon; the Alpha tucking Hanbin into his side to offer more protection. Logically Hanbin knew YunHyeong was no threat, but the pounding in his head and ribs made everything blend together in one frightening blurr.

“YunHyeong, you need to stop.” JinHwan shouted and placed both hands on YunHyeong’s shoulders to stop the taller boy.

“No, I need to get _him_ away from Hanbin; before he ends up in hospital or worse.”

“Stop, YunHyeong.” JinHwan tried again and put all of his strength into pushing the Alpha away. “Stop, look at him, _just look_. Look at Hanbin and tell me it’s Jiwon that’s the problem here.”

Hanbin froze as he suddenly felt YunHyeong’s furious gaze land on him. There was a tense silence as the two Alpha's continued their standoff. Hanbin whined and clenched tighter onto Jiwon's shirt as he waited for what would happen next. Finally, YunHyeong took a deliberate step backwards but his body remained vibrating with anger.

JinHwan let out a deep breath of relief as the tension finally lessened. Hanbin watched the two eldest melt into each other as they stood together across the room.

"Jiwon?" JinHwan questioned, turning slightly but keeping his hands on YunHyeong's heaving chest. "Does Hanbin need to go to the hospital?"

Hanbin peaked up at Jiwon from where he was nestled and watched the older boy look him over with concerned eyes.

"No, I don't think so."

"Alright. You take care of him, the first aid kit is in the bathroom, and I'll take Yun out for a walk."

"Wait, Hyung." Jiwon tensed and called out desperately as JinHwan started to herd YunHyeong out. "I can't stay with him. YunHyeong should stay, he's better with him. I can't-"

"YunHyeong isn't in the right state of mind to calm an injured Beta right now." JinHwan spoke firmly. "Besides, I don't think you're going anywhere unless you're willing to leave your shirt with Bin-a. He needs you with him. _You_ , Jiwon-a."

Hanbin blushed as Jiwon's attention turned to the tight grip Hanbin hand on his clothes. The thought of the Alpha leaving, wanting to leave even, made Hanbin's breath hitch and he winced in pain.

"But Hyung-" Jiwon started to protest even as he began releasing comforting pheromones and pulling Hanbin closer.

"You'll be fine; I think you'll find you're a natural." JinHwan smiled gentled and returned to guiding YunHyeong away.

Hanbin remained pressed against Jiwon's side long after they heard the front door close, just standing and breathing the Alpha in. The proximity seemed to be helping the pain and in turn that cleared Hsi head enough to think straight.

"Are you really okay with me helping you?" Jiwon questioned quietly after a while. "I can get Chanwoo or Junhoe, I don't have to be the one to-"

"Stay." Hanbin whispered. "Please, just... don't leave me."


	15. The Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up everyone? I hope you had a great weekend!  
> Sorry this one is so short, the cut off point just made sense to me so it's a little less than usual but I hope you can forgive me.  
> If you need more DoubleB maybe check out my other fics and see what you think of them.  
> As you can tell by the title this is the long, LONG awaited talk for Hanbin and Jiwon so I hope you all enjoy these fluffy, fluffy boys finally sorting their shit out.  
> Please leave a kudo if you enjoy the story and don't be afraid to comment. In fact, comment away. I love to hear what you have to think and it keeps me motivated to write more and include details you want to see. And don't be afraid to add me on twitter @Giraffaholic1 I would love to hear from you and chat.  
> I hope you enjoy the chapter.

After Hanbin's confession, Jiwon had let out a choked noise but silently pulled Hanbin closer. Hanbin had stayed still at first, unsure about what was going through the Alpha's mind, but as the calming pheromones spread through the air Hanbin gave in and snuggled closer.

They sat together for a while longer and Hanbin felt himself relax completely into the warm body next to him. Shifting himself to get even closer, Hanbin suddenly felt a shot of pain in his ribs which caused a gasp to escape his throat. Jiwon reacted immediately; whirling around so he could check Hanbin over.

"What happened? Where does it hurt, Bin-a?" Jiwon panicked as he tentatively reached out a hand. "We should get you into the bathroom. Or should we go to the hospital after all? What if you have internal bleeding? What if-?"

" _Hyung_." Hanbin chuckled, cutting himself off when the jerky movement brought more pain to his abdomen. "The bathroom will be fine; it's probably just a bad bruise."

Jiwon paused for a moment and looked around, it almost looked like he was looking for someone to help him. Looking back down at Hanbin, Jiwon's gaze softened and he nodded slowly.

"Alright, let's get you up and I'll help you to the bathroom. Stop me if you're in pain or need a break, okay?"

"Okay." Hanbin agreed and held out his hand for Jiwon to help him up.

Jiwon bit his lip before swooping into get an arm around Hanbin's waist and place Hanbin's over his shoulders. The extra support made the movement off the sofa easier but it was still painful as Hanbin straightened up.

"You okay?" Jiwon worried and he carefully adjusted his grip.

"Not really." Hanbin ground out through his teeth as he tried to will down the sharp pains.

It took a few deep breaths before Hanbin felt stable enough to fully straighten up and make a move. Slowly, a couple of steps at a time, they staggered to the hallway and through into the bathroom. Jiwon kept up a steady stream of small talk and Hanbin wondered if it was meant to reassure him or the anxious Alpha beside him.

"Down we go." Jiwon grunted as he lowered Hanbin onto the toilet lid and then turned to rummage in the cabinet for the first aid. "Can you tell me what happened? So I know what I'm dealing with."

"Umm… well, where to start-" Hanbin forced a laugh and tried to joke, but Jiwon twisted in his crouch and send a worried glare towards him.

"Don't play this off, Bin-a, I saw how out of it you were when I found you. Now, tell me what they did."

"They punched and slapped me a few times; kicked me in the stomach… nothing too major.”

“And what about that hand? How did that happen - from being punched?” Jiwon asked as he began searching through the first aid bag, his tone clipped as he tried to fight his rising anger.

“I… ummm… they were kicking me in the stomach and- and they hit my hand when I tried to protect myself.”

“Okay,” Jiwon nodded slowly. “So I need to check your face, ribs and hand. Anywhere else?”

“They… they…” Hanbin trailed off, unable to make himself say the words, as he reached up to brush his fingers against his tender neck muscles.

Jiwon, noticing the silence, snapped hit attention up to Hanbin and followed the movement with laser focus. Discarding the bag on the counter, Jiwon sank to his knees in front of Hanbin and reached out to inspect the injury. Instinctively, Hanbin flinched backwards and Jiwon's eyes widened before he yanked his hand away.

"I'm sorry, Bin-a. I didn't think… I should just get someone else."

"No, it's okay. Really." Hanbin rushed out and grabbed Jiwon's hands in his; moving them to rest lightly on his neck. "I know you're not going to hurt me."

Jiwon searched Hanbin's face for a few moments before he began to lean in and look over the angry red ring on Hanbin's skin. Hanbin winced as the gentle fingers manipulated the skin to check the damage but he forced himself to remain still.

They remained silent as Jiwon inspected the injuries and collected what he would need to treat the bruising. It reminded Hanbin of the evening he had spent doing the same thing after Junhoe's fit of anger at Weekly Idol, only he had been very much alone at the time. It felt different, _better_ , to have an Alpha caring for him.

Hanbin tired not to fidget as Jiwon worked and he found himself watching the other boy for a distraction. Jiwon's body seemed to be working on over time to pump out the calming and protective pheromones that helped Hanbin relax and the pain fade away. The Alpha looked frail, almost as if the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders, as he pulled out cream after cream from the bag. The ache in Hanbin's heart began to overtake the hurt of his body and he found himself speaking without knowing what he was going to say.

"I meant it, Hyung. I really _do_ trust you not to hurt me."

"Bin- I…" Jiwon startled from where he had been smoothing out the cream on Hanbin's cheek.

"I do. I know all of the stuff before was… _different_. This, what happened with those trainees, isn't your fault."

"But Hanbin, I left you; I raped you."

"No, Hyung, you didn't. That's what I was trying to tell you before you left. You didn't… you couldn't have… You don't know how long I've wanted to- I've wanted to share that kind of intimacy with you, but when I finally had the chance I ruined it. You were in rut and I wasn't strong enough to fight it, I wasn't strong enough to protect you from yourself; I'm sorry… I'm…" Hanbin trailed off as tears began to stream down his face.

Jiwon remained frozen on the floor, where he had landed when he sprang away from Hanbin, and his face was unreadable. Hanbin felt himself breaking even further and tried to pull himself together, this wasn't about him. Despite having been fully ready to face Jiwon's anger back in the studio, it was different now. Sitting in their bathroom, bruised and bleeding while the Alpha cared for him so gently; Hanbin couldn't bare to face it anymore.

"You… I didn't force you?" Jiwon asked slowly, as if his brain was still trying to catch up.

"No." Hanbin's voice cracked and new tears escaped as he looked down at Jiwon tenderly. "You were perfect. You made sure to get my permission, repeatedly, and you were… gentle. It was nice."

"Then why were you upset? If it was consensual… I don't understand, Bin-a."

"It wasn't though." Hanbin whimpered and roughly tried to scrub away his tears. "You said you wanted to and I wanted it so much I believed you, but everyone knows an Alpha can't give consent while in rut. I'm such a hypocrite, I know what it's like for someone to violate you and I still put you through that because of my selfishness. I should have known better, it's like that time you-"

"The time I what?" Jiwon asked, he had sat back to rest against the wall and frowned at Hanbin.

"I'm sorry, I overheard your argument with YunHyeong Hyung after you rejected the Rut service. I know I shouldn't have listened in but I was worried about you."

"You were worried about me? Even then? When I was… _horrible_ to you?"

Hanbin sniffled and nodded.

"I didn't want you to hurt each other, and you kept rejecting help with your rut. I was scared you would rather face getting ill from a hormone imbalance or go feral instead of getting help. Instead of accepting me."

"It wouldn't have gone that far." Jiwon argued defensively.

"You didn't know that. We, as a pack, didn't know that; we were just worried and scared for you. You still wouldn't have shared your rut with anyone if we hadn't been in the same room when it started." Hanbin scolded the Alpha but quickly deflated when he remembered that he really didn't have the right to lecture the other. "Not that it matters, it won't happen again; I know you don't want me anywhere near you. I'm just sorry I took the experience of your first shared rut away from you and your mate."

"Christ, Hanbin." Jiwon muttered and scrubbed at his face. "What you heard… I didn't… it wasn't about spending my rut with some stranger, not really anyway. I wanted to spend it with someone, with pack, but I knew it couldn't be you. Ever since I met you, I've...I've felt… this _draw_ to you and I was afraid if I was around you during a rut I would go too far and do something terrible."

Hanbin tried to digest Jiwon's words, running through them over and over in his head to make sure he wasn't making up a meaning that wasn't there. Jiwon didn't feel like he had been taken advantage of? Jiwon didn't blame him? Jiwon felt the same magnetic attraction too? Hanbin's thoughts whirled and whirled around until they landed on one blaring answer.

**Mate**.

The realisation caused Hanbin's heart to stop. He was deathly afraid, afraid of rejection and of acceptance, but mostly he was excited about what it could mean for the future. He had found his mate - maybe.

"I'm sorry we didn't talk about this earlier." Jiwon continued, seemingly oblivious to Hanbin's sudden epiphany. "If I'd known you thought you were at fault I would have made this happen sooner; in a place we both felt safe to talk openly. I was so busy trying to convince myself it wasn't a rut that I completely ignored how it might have affected you and-"

Jiwon suddenly stopped talking and turned pale again, a look Hanbin was quickly learning to hate; what came after was never good.

"And?" Hanbin ventured cautiously.

"You said you were a hypocrite… when you thought you had forced me, you said… has someone- have you been-?"

Hanbin knew immediately what Jiwon was trying to ask, as stilted and nonsensical as it was. He had spent most of his adult life prepared for such as question; he'd been prepared to lie, _told_ to even, but now that he was faced with Jiwon's concerned face he found he couldn't.

Jerking his head up and down in a mechanical nod, Hanbin braced himself for whatever response the Alpha might give. However, the sight of his Hyung seemingly shattering to pieces at the confirmation was still a surprise.

Jiwon shuffled forward on his knees until he was between Hanbin's legs, looking up at him through glassy eyes, and holding his hands in a shakey grip.

"Was it- was it one of the members?"

"No, _never_." Hanbin shook his head vehemently and Jiwon collapsed in on himself in relief before suddenly tensing again.

"Was it the person that cancelled the Beta college performance?"

Hanbin shuddered as Jiwon hit the nail on the head and a vision of their manager floated into his mind. The gross searching hands; commanding voice, and stale breath that seemed to linger in his nose for days afterwards. Looking down at Jiwon, the big, strong Alpha that was so hopelessly innocent and delusional, and Hanbin knew he had to protect him from the answer.

"No… it was a long time ago; I'm okay now."

Jiwon relaxed fully at Hanbin's answer and once again Hanbin allowed himself to feel relief. It wasn't a complete lie, the first time had been a very long time ago and he was used to it now.

"You shouldn't ever have to go through that." Jiwon announced, as if he had just found the answer to an unanswerable question.

"No one should."

"Not just that, though… Bin, today… with those trainees, you could have easily fought back. I mean, I've seen you in action; been on the receiving end of some of your punches before, so why did you just let them hurt you?"

"It's more trouble than it's worth." Hanbin sighed. "They have every right to do what they want with me, but the second I raise a finger in self defense they can claim I assaulted them."

"But that doesn't make any sense. Why would the law exclude a whole group of people from a basic human right?"

Hanbin looked Jiwon up and down, he really didn't have any clue where to start to explain the unfairness of Beta legal representation. There were loopholes and circumnavigations but most of the time it was a useless waste of time to put faith in the law.

"They don't see Betas as people."

"Is that why Sangmin and Seyoon asked my permission… because you're property and not a person?"

Hanbin nodded and began to fiddle with Jiwon's fingers where they were still intertwined with his own.

"So what if I give you permission?"

"I don't follow."

"What if I give you permission to fight back… to protect my property. Would that work?"

"It's better than nothing."

"So you'll fight back next time someone tries to hurt you? For me?"

"Yes, Hyung, I'll fight back… _for you_." Hanbin smiled.

"I'm glad." Jiwon whispered, his thumbs rubbing over Hanbin's knuckles. "The thought of someone hurting you like that… I got mad enough when I smelt-"

Now that the pressing matter of Hanbin's safety had been dealt with Jiwon seemed to realise his position, on his knees in front of a Beta, and he sprung up; coughing awkwardly. Hanbin was surprised the Alpha had allowed himself to get into the position in the first place since it was a deeply submissive pose that was strictly off limits to Alphas; only used by Betas and Omegas to show obedience.

Hanbin blinked up at Jiwon and felt his hands tingling with the loss of touch; his heart desperately pining for something it barely knew the name of.

"Well, umm… since we're on the topic, about Jiyong. I know I don't have any right to tell you want you can and can't do; so I'm sorry I got so worked up about smelling him on you."

"You were in rut." Hanbin acknowledged simply. 

"Yeah, but that's no excuse."

"Would you like it to stop? Between me and him."

"I… it's up to you Hanbin-a." Jiwon spoke slowly and Hanbin could tell he was very unhappy about the statement.

"Okay, I think it will stop quite naturally now anyway. It wasn't a regular thing."

"It wasn't?"

Hanbin nearly cooed at the hopeful glint that appeared in Jiwon's eyes and he felt the tug in his gut again.

**Mate.**

**Go to him**.

"No, it wasn't." Hanbin spoke slowly; making sure the Alpha absorbed every word fully. "It was more of a last resort kind of thing, and I think I might have another port of call now?"

"I… Hanbin…" Jiwon's reluctance and insecurity quickly put a damper on Hanbin's burst of confidence and he hunched in on himself, ready for the reject he should have seen coming. _Stupid_.

"I'm not sure I can be that for you, Bin-a. I need… _time_. I need to get my head straight and sort out everything before I get anyone else involved. I've already hurt you so much; I can't do that to you again."

Jiwon turned to leave the small bathroom and Hanbin felt every single one of the bruises on his body, both inside and out, spike in pain at the loss of Jiwon's Alpha pheromones. His gut whined at him and something thrashed inside his chest, begging the Alpha to stay.

"That's not for you to decide." Hanbin choked out, tears rising in his eyes as he watched yet another person ignore his wishes and walk away.

Jiwon paused and looked back at Hanbin in confusion. Hanbin held his gaze for a few moments before dropping his eyes to look at his fingers.

"I want you, Alpha. Nobody told me to, or ordered me to; I came to that conclusion all by myself and I did that thinking you _hated_ me. So, you occasionally losing your temper or saying stupid things really doesn't bother me. I know what I want."

"You-"

"You do want you need to, but just remember that I want you; so it's your choice now."

"It's not that simple, Bin."

" _Yes, it is._ " Hanbin found himself yelling and he was suddenly standing face to face with the Alpha.

Both boys stood frozen as they stared at each other in shock. Jiwon had seemingly been no more prepared for the move than Hanbin had been himself; so finding themselves suddenly sharing air took a moment to process for both of them.

Hanbin's chest heaved from his outburst and he felt himself vibrating with barely contained rage, at what exactly he didn't know, but it had to escape him somehow or he would explode. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair that even when Jiwon was trying to be considerate he still overlooked the will of a lowly Beta.

"It was always this simple. You are the one that is making things complicated."

The words spilled out of Hanbin with such ferocity, such confidence that he believed everything would turn out alright from sheer force of will alone. Lurching forward, Hanbin crashed his lips against Jiwon's and hungrily kissed the other boy like his body was on fire.

Jiwon remained frozen for a fraction of a second before he reacted to the passion and desperation in Hanbin's kiss. The drag of their lips against each other lit something inside of Hanbin and he attacked Jiwon's mouth until he felt the burning heat start to ebb away into nothing.

Placing the last few lingering kisses, that were more synchronised breaths than kisses, on Jiwon's lips; Hanbin pulled away and allowed himself to just exist in the moment. Jiwon's hands had come up to bracket Hanbin's face as they kissed and they remained resting lightly against Hanbin's skin; keeping their heads pressed together. The air around them seemed to dance with possibility and the feeling of electricity spreading down his spine made Hanbin shiver.

"Fuck, Baby…" Jiwon murmured. "You can't ever say things are simple when you kiss me like that."

Hanbin hummed in response and ducked his head down into the crook of Jiwon's neck; scenting the musky arousal that was coming off the Alpha in waves. It made him proud that he was the one who made Jiwon react that way.

"I still don't think this is a good idea, but I don't think I can't stay away from you…" Jiwon spoke quietly, as if loath to break the fragile peace that had settled around them.

"Then don't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be the last upload for a while as I will be away for two weeks for a national competition and the place I'm staying has very patchy WiFi. I might be able to upload but this is just a heads up in the worse case scenario.  
> I will have lots of time on my hands so hopefully when o get back I will have to lots to post to make up for the absence.  
> Thank you so much for reading  
> Xxx


	16. A night of changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone,  
> I hope we are all doing okay with everything that is going on. Sending all my love and support to the boys rn ot7!  
> Also, sorry this is late. My team made it way further than I was expecting so I didn't have time to write and upload but here we are now.  
> I'm also working on another upload for my idol boyfriend series so look out of that and check it out. And let me know if you have any requests.  
> Don't be afraid to leave Kudos and comments, I love to hear what you think and how you see things going down.  
> Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Hanbin’s words rang out in the silent bathroom and Jiwon’s hands tightened their hold in response before falling to rest gently on Hanbin’s hips. The earlier urgency of the emotions driving them fading away into a pleasant buzz that settled around Hanbin’s skin.

“Hanbin…” Jiwon exhaled heavily and Hanbin’s heart thundered in suspense as he looked up into the Alpha's shiny eyes. “Hanbin, I… I still need time. I want to do this right; everything with you feels… so much more _important_ than anything else and I _can’t_ mess it up again. I can't."

“Alpha…” Hanbin breathed back, mimicking the weightiness in Jiwon's speech. “You can have all the time you need as long as you don’t go back to the way it was, I couldn't cope with that.”

The quiet admission drew a groan from Jiwon and the Alpha pressed closer to Hanbin again; making them both stumble backwards into the wall. The impact sent a thrill through Hanbin and his eyes flickered down to Jiwon's lips.

Jiwon seemed to notice the glance and his lips turned upwards into a smirk that got Hanbin's heart thumping in his chest. Hot breath fanned out on Hanbin's face as Jiwon leaned closer. Licking his lips to wet them in anticipation, Hanbin reached up to gently stroke Jiwon's fringe away from his eyes; making the older boy's hands tighten on his hips.

The kiss that followed felt at complete odds with the coupling they had just had. Hanbin gave up control and Jiwon angled his head so that Hanbin was stretching up to meet his lips, head resting back on the wall and his neck exposed, as the Alpha licked into Hanbin's mouth. All confident heat and sensual movements that weakened Hanbin's knees. Jiwon rumbled with approval and Hanbin answered with a shuddering laugh between the playful kisses.

“I…” Jiwon pulled away and Hanbin held his breath as the Alpha lifted a hand to trace his lips. “Neither could I, _not anymore._ ”

Hanbin tried to suppress his smile, after all it was all still very vague and new, but the brightness in Jiwon’s eyes seemed to suggest the Alpha was just as pleased with the current turn of events as he was. It scared Hanbin a little bit that he was so happy when the breadcrumbs, that were few and far between, scattered around them were the only assurances he had of things improving.

Jiwon's easy acceptance and overly sensitive behaviour seemed to be a double edged sword. It was definitely a step up from how things used to be but it still felt as if the progress they were making was based on a false foundation, not completely but enough to make Hanbin hesitate.

Perhaps Jiwon was right; maybe they did need time. It was no use running head long into something they weren't ready for; their grip on each other slowly turning into deeply biting claws and wretched limbs. It was better to take it slow; draw away just enough to let go; readjust their hands and come back together as the perfect fit for each other.

Taking one last deep breath, Hanbin stepped sideways and out of Jiwon’s arms. Suppressing the whine at the loss of his Alpha's touch, Hanbin wrapped his arms around his middle and smiled gently at Jiwon.

Hanbin was about to suggest they call it a night and head back to their rooms when something about the Alpha's words caught his attention: _not anymore?_ What did that mean?

"What changed your mind?" Hanbin asked curiously.

"About what?" Jiwon frowned.

"About not wanting things to be the way they were before? We've known each other for years now, so what changed your mind?"

"Well, I…" Jiwon swallowed and turned around to brace himself against the sink, his back to Hanbin. "Before… all I saw you as was- I saw what everyone around us told me to see and I didn't both to look deeper. I told myself I _couldn't_ look deeper."

"Why?" Hanbin breathed, watching the top of Jiwon's head in the mirror. It felt like they were on the verge of a huge breakthrough and Hanbin's hand tingled with the need to reach out and support the Alpha.

"Because I was scared." Jiwon whispered. "Because I felt a happy when I was with you and everything I knew told me I shouldn't feel that way; that it was wrong. As trainees it was okay because I could pretend… but when you became our leader-"

"Do you not like the fact I'm your leader?"

Jiwon shook his head, still keeping his head down; his knuckles turning white where they gripped the cold porcelain.

"At first… at first, I was angry. I was embarrassed about what people would say about us being lead by a Beta when _we_ should be leading you. Junhoe was too young at the time, I don't think he really understood what was expected of an Alpha, but I was livid. I felt like everything I stood for as an Alpha was being taken away and laughed at."

"Oh…" Hanbin shrank back on himself and tightened his arms around his shaking body. "I didn't know you felt like that… all this time-"

" **No**! I didn't-" Jiown whirled around and grasped Hanbin by the shoulders as he met his eyes desperately. "It was only right after you were given the position that I felt that way. I talked with YunHyeong… he was so calm about it; it made me see you as the capable trainee I always had before. After that, I was kind of glad it was you; especially when the managers are being difficult, you could always deal with it so well."

"Then why did you keep treating me like- like…" Hanbin trailed off and looked away from Jiwon's guilty expression.

"Because once the anger wore off I was left with everything else. Seeing you take control and caring for the members just... made me want you more."

Hanbin swallowed at the raw catch in Jiwon's voice as the other boy spoke. The power of Jiwon's emotions, the confusion and fear that Hanbin had also dealt with himself for so many years, struck a chord within Hanbin's chest and suddenly it was all too much.

“It’s getting late and we still have practise in the morning.” Hanbin changed the topic, avoiding Jiwon’s eyes as he spoke. The raw emotion and power swimming in their depths threatening to overwhelm Hanbin's calm mask.

"Wait, Bin." Jiwon ducked back into Hanbin's field of vision and Hanbin braced himself for whatever probing questions Jiwon could ask in return. "I also want to apologise for the way I acted before. I'm not making excuses for my actions; I really do regret how I treated you."

"But you already did that…" Hanbin frowned in confusion.

"I did, but I wanted to make sure you really believed me. I didn't apologise to you because my rut was messing with me or I wanted a quick fuck, I meant it. I really am sorry about the horrible way I treated you."

"I believe you." Hanbin's lips quirked up into a smile and he tucked his hands into his pockets awkwardly. "It's okay."

"It's not." Jiwon said decisively. "But I'll do everything I can to make it up to you. As a friend, a pack mate and… maybe as something more, if you'll have me?"

"I'll think about it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Hanbin grinned at the happy flush on Jiwon's cheeks. "Now, come on, we really should head out; we have practice tomorrow."

“Bin-a, do you really think you should be practicing with your injuries.” Jiwon reached out to trace along Hanbin's cheek but seemed to think better of it and his arm fell limp at his side.

“I’ll take it easy.” Hanbin replied with a small smile. “Besides, we don’t have the luxury to take a break right now. Just a bit more and we can relax.”

"I still think you should sit it out this time; the others won't mind."

"They'll ask more questions if I sit out, questions I can't answer, and I've been through much worse before without having to sit out." Not to mention the fact that one of the members might report his slacking off to their manager and that was a punishment Hanbin wanted to avoid at all costs.

The paleness on Jiwon’s skin returned and Hanbin chuckled nervously. It was odd to be able to confess such things so freely with the Alpha, and it was even stranger to know that Jiwon was upset by what had happened - what had happened right under his nose.

Turning to quickly pack up the medical supplies to give himself some time to think, Hanbin cleaned up the bathroom before heading out into the hallway; Jiwon following in his wake.

“Should I really stay with you overnight? Do you want me to?” Jiwon asked awkwardly. “Like, do you need to be woken up and stuff? Do you want any painkillers? Oh wait, should you be taking any? Are you sure you don’t need a doctor? Maybe it would be-"

“That’s for a concussion, which I don't have, so there's no point waking up a doctor now.” Hanbin laughed, flapping his hand at the other boy to try and calm him down. “But you can still stay with me… if you want.”

Jiwon’s eyes darted back and forth between Hanbin’s room and his own down the hallway. Hanbin watched quietly, he had put all of his cards on the table and it really was up to Jiwon to decide if he was ready or not to go further - even though ' _further_ ' only meant several steps into his bedroom for sleeping. Eventually, Jiwon seemed to make up his mind and he squared his shoulders before turning back to Hanbin.

“It’s probably best I stay with you, just in case something happens, you might need help during the night but we go straight to sleep, you’re still hurt and we need to rest.”

“Of course.” Hanbin nodded earnestly and lead the Alpha into his room, but just before Jiwon stepped over the threshold a flash of panic spread through him “ **Wait**!”

Jiwon froze and looked over at Hanbin in panic, afraid he had already messed up again and Hanbin wanted to assure him things were okay but it just felt too _big_ ; too _soon_. Hanbin looked over his shoulder at his room and the stacks of pillows on his bed; as much as he wanted to be ready to welcome Jiwon into his space, to share the most intimate part of himself with him, it didn’t feel safe to do so at that moment. The room was his territory, his only privacy in the sometimes hostile dorms, and Hanbin wasn't quite ready to give it up completely.

Clearing his throat, Hanbin turned to Jiwon again.

“Let’s go to your room instead. I haven’t cleaned my sheets in a few days and it’s a bit gross. I'll just grab a change of clothes and follow you."

Jiwon frowned but seemed to buy the excuse as he nodded and left Hanbin’s room; heading down the corridor to his own. Hanbin grabbed some sleep clothes from his chest of drawers before following Jiwon.

Hanbin had never been in Jiwon's room before, the Alpha usually kept the door shut tight at all times, and he wasn't quite sure what to expect as he walked into the room.

The first thing that hit him were the pheromones, they were far stronger in the Alpha’s room than they were in the rest of the dorm, and it slapped Hanbin in the face; almost making him stumble back a few steps. Hanbin's hands tightened around the bundle in his arms and he wondered about how smart this decision had been.

Taking a few moments to just breath and regain his balance, Hanbin felt his body relax in response to the scent of sleepiness and contentment that seemed to permeate the room. It was yet another side of the Alpha that Hanbin was discovering and it reminded Hanbin again why Jiwon's idea to take their time was good for them, they both had so much to learn about each other.

Jiwon had already stripped off his clothes, a trail of them lay on the floor heading to the ensuite, and he had clearly jumped in the shower. Sighing, Hanbin decided to leave it for the night; any more revelations and they would just be too tired to function with everything whizzing through their minds. It was late and he had just dumped his pretty extreme confession on the poor Alpha, and vice versa. If Jiwon was anything, he was deeply emotional in his nature and it would probably take a while for him to process everything.

Hanbin left Jiwon to his privacy and took the time to change and climb into the comfortable bed as he waited for the other to reappear. As it turned out, his plan to wait was in vain because as soon as he settled down into the sheets, surrounded by Jiwon's scent, Hanbin's eyes grew heavy and began to close.

The pain in Hanbin's body had already faded to near nonexistence and it was easy to let his mind drift as the white noise of the shower filled his head and the soft down of the bed welcomed him in.

It was considerably less easy to wake up when morning rolled around the next day.

The sunlight blazing in through the curtains stabbed into Hanbin's eyes and he turned over with a grunt. Shoving his face back into the pillows, Hanbin let out a deep sigh and settled down to fall asleep again.

The rhythmic rise and fall of his pillow adding to the early morning lethargy in his mind as he slowly slipped back into sleep. He was nearly tipping back over into unconsciousness when the meaning of his breathing pillow reached his tired brain.

" _Fuck_!" Hanbin scrambled back from where he had been lying half on top of the other boy; a blush decorating his cheeks. "Jiwon! I- it's not-"

"Not what?" Jiwon asked with a small smirk.

"I was just- the sun was in my eyes; so I..." Hanbin trailed off and narrowed his eyes at Jiwon as he noticed the total lack of sleepy disorientation in the other boy's face. "Were you awake?"

This time it was Jiwon's turn to blush and Hanbin felt something warm bloom in his chest as he watched as the older boy smiled sheepishly. There was a softness to the Alpha that Hanbin had only managed to glimpse before, but he definitely liked it, and Hanbin wanted to learn more about this side of Jiwon.

"I was just…" Jiwon swallowed and fluffed up his hair in embarrassment. "I just woke up a while ago and you looked so peaceful."

The soft words wrapped themselves around Hanbin's heart and made it flutter inside his chest. It was so relaxing to just be in the other's presence that Hanbin felt almost giddy as he considered what his next move should be.

Sinking back down into the covers, Hanbin propped his head up on one hand so he could observe the other. Jiwon was still slightly flushed but the golden sunlight from the window drew Hanbin's attention to the vibrant pools of honey that had replaced Jiwon's eyes. The sight made Hanbin's breath catch in his throat and he questioned why he hadn't realised what the other boy was to him for so long.

"How long were you watching?" Hanbin teased gently.

"Not long- I mean, I wasn't watching… I was..." Jiwon pursed his lips and he thought of what to say. "A while."

"Yeah?" Hanbin let all the warmth and happiness spread out through his voice.

"Yeah." Jiwon replied back, voice just as charged with everything they weren't ready to say.

"Just sitting there and watching me sleep? You weirdo."

"I _am_ not." Jiwon protested as he turned on his side to mirror Hanbin's position.

"Are to."

"I'm not! At least _I_ don't have pictures of you like-" Jiwon's eyes widened and he choked on his words as he realised what he had said.

"Like who?" Hanbin wheedled, his interest extremely piqued.

Jiwon muttered under his breath and Hanbin leaned forward to hear more clearly.

"I'm sorry, what?" Hanbin teased.

"Literally _everyone_." Jiwon huffed and flopped down into his back; covering his face with his hands.

"Everyone has pictures of me sleeping?" Hanbin frowned. "Who exactly? And how do you know they have them?"

" _Bin-a~._ " Jiwon whined, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

"Tell me."

"I only know about Winner Sunbaes and Jaewon. YunHyeong is in a group chat with them and they share… well…"

"Seriously?" Hanbin asked, at a loss of words.

"Yeah, Hyung said it was mostly so they could all keep tabs on you but then he kept gushing about how cute you were when they found you sleeping around the place."

It was worrying that the others had felt the need to form a chat to check up on him; especially when he had successfully hidden so much from them through the years. Hanbin really hoped they didn't know about some of the things that had happened because he was sure they would rip YGE apart if they had to.

Deciding he could see just how far his Hyungs went to look after him with a few subtle questions to YunHyeong, Hanbin focused back on what Jiwon had said.

"Cute?"

"Yeah. That's what he said."

"And what do you think?" Hanbin tilted his head in an attempt to be cute but it just made him feel silly so he flopped down onto his stomach on the pillows to observe Jiwon closely.

"What do _I_ think?"

"Yeah."

"I think, the photos don't do you justice."

Hanbin snorted, he was pretty sure Jiwon was messing with him but it still felt nice to hear the words. It _all_ felt nice if Hanbin was being honest with himself and once again he found himself fighting back the little voice of self doubt that said it was too good to be true.

They remained sealed in their early morning bubble for a bit longer, teasing and staring at each other, until a shout from the members in the rest of the dorms brought them back to reality.

Hanbin sighed and forced himself to disentangle from the sheets. Twisting around into a sitting position and settling his feet on the ground to get up, Hanbin paused before pushing up from the bed but it was all the pause Jiwon needed.

"Hanbin-a, wait a moment-" A tight grip tugged him back onto the bed and Hanbin looked over his shoulder to see Jiwon's heated face. "Let me just check your-"

"What-?" Hanbin asked in shock as Jiwon suddenly pulled him back firmly against his chest and shoved his nose into his neck. "Hyung, what are you-?"

Hanbin was cut off as Jiwon gripped his chin and tilted back his head before pressing his face in closer; deeply inhaling. Jiwon's scent, which had been light and calm during the night, turned sharp and Hanbin shuddered as another hand began to caress his chest.

"Baby, you smell…" Jiwon growled lowly in Hanbin's ear.

"Oh, get _off_." Hanbin snorted, and shoved Jiwon backwards onto the bed before getting off the bed completely."You really have a way with words, Hyung."

"That's not what-"

"No need to tell me twice; I'll go shower first."

"Bin-a, I didn't mean…"

"Save me some breakfast." Hanbin called out as he left the room and headed into the bathroom.

Rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck with a satisfying crack, Hanbin grabbed a towel from his room before having a quick shower. Turning the water on to allow it to warm up, Hanbin took stock of his body in the large mirror.

Without looking Hanbin could tell something was different to the usual aftermath of a beating. He had noticed the lack of any pain when he woke up but put it down to Jiwon's pheromones overpowering his minds ability to feel it like it had the night before. His body felt fine - in fact, it felt better than fine. The ache in his head and body were replaced by a rested strength that had almost become a memory to him.

Looking himself up and down in the silvered glass, Hanbin watched his eyes widen in the reflection as he took in the pale discoloration on his cheek where there should have been a dark bruise. Trailing his gaze down, he found the same phenomenon with the ring around his neck and the patches on his stomach.

Astonished, Hanbin raised a shaking hand to poke at his cheek and was amazed when the pressure yielded no pain at all. Moving onto his hurt hand, Hanbin wiggled his fingers and marvelled at the easy, almost pain free movement. His brain scrambled to work out what had happened as he twisted around one way and then the next to survey his entire body in the mirror.

All the bruises he had been expecting were barely visible and the older injuries littering his body had disappeared completely. He had never healed this fast before, in fact his bruises were often visible for much longer than usual, due to his stress and lack of a diet, so to see them disappearing overnight? That was _weird_ ; it was almost as if he had recovered at the speed of an Alpha or an Alpha's- Hanbin's body froze as the word echoed in his mind again and again.

**Mate**.

Shaking his head at his own delusional mind, Hanbin stepped into the shower and let out a moan as the water beat down on his shoulders. However, as he washed his body his mind began to wander, as it often did in the shower, back to his clear skin and what it meant.

It was well known that Alphas had much faster healing rates than other dynamics, they had needed to evolve that way to be better protectors and hunters in the past, and they could stimulate rapid healing through their pheromones. Hanbin had seen it himself after his mother had a troubled birth with Hanbyul and his father had helped her heal quickly, but it had never happened to him before. YunHyeong had often tried to help him, or at least stay close to him, after something had happened but it had caused Hanbin more anxiety to have the Alpha hover around him than it actually helped; so they had given up after a while.

Jiwon had never seemed to notice the bruises and cuts that turned up randomly on Hanbin's skin, had never commented on his flinches or slimmer psyche, and it made Hanbin wonder why everything had changed so suddenly. More importantly it made him worry about how genuine the other could be; even if he wanted it all to be true so badly. There was no way of knowing just how far Jiwon wanted to be involved. Feeling a draw and being ready to mate for life were very different things.

If Hanbin's body was already responding in such a way to Jiwon's pheromones then it meant he had chosen Jiwon as compatible. Hopefully that was as far as it went, and they hadn't actually synched up, because Hanbin wasn't ready at all to face that possibility.

Sighing, Hanbin pushed the thoughts out of his mind. He didn't have time to deal with them and he needed to focus on the practice so they could make the progress management wanted. _That_ was one part of his life that Hanbin was pretty sure wouldn't have magically become better overnight.

Cringing at the thought, Hanbin snapped off the water and dried himself down; deliberately not looking in the mirror as he did. It would be easy enough to ignore what had happened until he could do a quick internet search that night and find out if there was another, more plausible reason, for what had happened.

Having made his plan of attack for the day, Hanbin took a deep breath to fortify himself against what was to come before he stepped out of the humid room to dress and join the others for breakfast.


	17. The little voice inside your head, it's now in mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why hello lovely people.  
> Thank you for waiting so patiently for my upload; I hope this is worth the wait and feeds your well of angst. That said it is crazy o'clock in the morning here so please go easy on my editing and proof reading.  
> A small warning because this chapter is a tiny bit intense and quiet violent, although most of it is only threatened and not very heavily described, so watch out.  
> As always please leave a kudo if you like the story and a comment with any questions or just random stuff you'd like to say cos why not. If you have any requests or suggestions feel free to leave those as well or check out my twitter @Giraffaholic1 and I would be more than happy to chat.  
> I hope you have all been doing well this past month and I hope you enjoy the chapter x

Despite Hanbin's resolve in private, the constant bustle and stresses of the others as they got ready for the day managed to displace the hastily applied blinkers around his mind's eye. The hissing voice in the back of his head meant Hanbin had to pause several times to just breath and fight back the hatred spewing forth so he could stop himself sinking to the floor in an emotional mess. It irritated him that he couldn't just control it; stop the small worry turning into an insurmountable problem but the irritation just fed the voice as another flaw to be pointed out.

The words were nothing new to him; he had been told such things his entire life. _He wasn't good enough, he wasn't strong enough, he wasn't smart enough._ It was exhausting and the doubt in himself, in his very nature, made accepting Jiwon's words a very bitter pill to swallow.

_But that Alpha is your mate_ , a small and sickeningly sweet voice called out, _everyone is worthy of a mate and he is yours if you will have him. It's fate._

Hanbin glanced over at Jiwon and who, seemingly sensing his gaze, turned to smile at him through a mouthful of food. The simple gesture sparked the painful longing Hanbin felt, maybe had always felt a little, in his chest but he stubbornly dropped his head to look at his barely eaten food.

When the group had finally all finished with their food, the other members too tired and hungry to talk much, Hanbin escaped back to his room and sank down onto his bed. Resting his head in his hands, Hanbin sighed to himself. It was really pathetic how easily he allowed himself to get overwhelmed with imagined problems. This wasn't how a leader acted; this wasn't how B.I should act.

Really, it only proved that he wasn't good enough for Jiwon. The little voice purred as Hanbin considered the option; digging its influence into Hanbin's mind one whispered comment at a time. Hanbin knew he hadn't imagined what had happened between himself and the Alpha but that didn't mean he wasn't misreading the other's intentions; Jiwon could be confused or just acting a part - it had happened before; Hanbin had learned the hard way the people very rarely wanted anything else from a Beta.

Hanbin shuddered out a laugh and, once again, thanked whoever was listening that Jiwon had wanted to take it slow, but this time for a different reason. Hanbin could withdraw a bit and easily site Jiwon's own reasoning for his behavioural change if the other questioned him. The knowledge that he had a little cover around himself allowed some of the tension to relax from Hanbin's shoulders, he could do this; he could get through with minimal hurt if he just kept himself detached, even when it came to Jiwon.

Taking one last deep breath, Hanbin shook out his remaining tension as best he could and made his way into the hallway. If he couldn't deal with everything properly he would just have to distract himself instead and the looming dance practice was a good excuse to focus on. It was definitely better, and definitely easier, to stay distracted rather than to admit his own worthlessness to himself.

Deciding the sooner he could throw himself into the music, the sooner he could ignore the storm brewing in his mind Hanbin fixed his mask over his ears and tugged down a beanie before leaving the dorm behind him to head to the studio. He messaged the group chat to let everyone know he had left before them and tucked his hands deep in his pockets to walk down the street.

The weather was relatively pleasant and Hanbin tried to force himself to relax as he hummed to himself along the way. The roar of the car engines and chatting of pedestrians around him drowned out the noises in his head so Hanbin could simply _be_ for once.

Hanbin had just caught sight of the YGE building down the street when a familiar scent and the feeling of being watched tingled his senses; making him stumble slightly. The hairs on the back of Hanbin's neck stood up on end and the strong Alpha pheromones that seemed to hang around the area set Hanbin's teeth on edge. Realising he had come to a complete stop, Hanbin glanced around but, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, forced his heavy limbs to start moving again.

Once again finding himself hurrying towards the company building, though this time for more sinister reasons, Hanbin questioned if maybe he should talk to the other members about a buddy system. Shaking his head at the ridiculous idea, Hanbin snorted to himself - like the others needed protection; they would just see it as another weakness on his part.

Despite there being no actual incident, Hanbin found himself feeling jittery for the rest of the morning and even watching the others slowly perfect the choreography didn't lighten his mood. Moving to stop the music after a near flawless run through Hanbin forcibly shook himself and tugged his lips up into a smile before turning to face the others.

"It looks really good guys; you should all be proud."

As he scanned across the tired and sweaty faces in front of him, Hanbin was met with a few weak smiles and nodding but no further reaction to his praise. He turned back to the music player and was just starting to prepare the next track for after their break when DongHyuk snorted.

"Really? That's it?"

"What?" Hanbin felt his shoulders hunch up in protection, already anticipating the Omega's attitude.

"We have eyes, Beta, we can see it looks good. Maybe you should tell us something we don't already know."

Hanbin's mouth opened to retort back but it snapped shut again. Could he really say anything to the other boy's comment? Jiwon had said he should fight back to defend himself, but surely that only meant physical altercations. That was the context of the command the Alpha had given after all. Watching DongHyuk sneer at him now, Hanbin decided Jiwon couldn't possibly have meant Hanbin make a fuss about little things like backchat within the pack - they would never have time to rest if Hanbin started taking objection to minor problems.

The Alpha in question was currently distracted across the room trying to find something in his bag and chatting with the other Hyungs; so there would be not help from there - not that he needed it. Hanbin took a deep breath, letting the scent of pack fill his senses, and let it out slowly before turning back to DongHyuk.

"I just wanted to praise everyone for the obvious hard work they were doing." Hanbin spoke gently; wrapping his arms around his middle.

"I don't need praise or justification from anyone." DongHyuk growled, taking a menacing step forwards. "And I certainly don't need it from you, Beta."

Hanbin bit his lip to fight back the slight tremble that had started up there. He couldn't afford to show weakness here, it would make him seem even more worthless. Hanbin berated himself for thinking things were getting better at all, he should have known. Years and countless experiences had told him over and over and _over_ again that things didn't change for people like him. It may have felt like the others were changing, but deep down they probably resented him for making them feel guilty or bad; they probably all felt the same way DongHyuk did but they were just pretending to care.

"That's enough, DongHyuk." YunHyeong snapped; coming to stand between DongHyuk and Hanbin. "Back down and apologise, what could you possibly be angry about now?"

"Hyung, I wasn't-"

"Yes, you were. Now get out of my sight until we have to start up again. I don't want to see you right now."

Hanbin watched in amazement as DongHyuk bared his neck in submission, his eyes definitely getting shiny, before he was scrambling for the door and disappearing out into the hallway. A deep sigh drew Hanbin's attention back to the Alpha beside him and Hanbin nearly had to do a double take.

With the backbone of Alpha discipline no longer needed, YunHyeong seemed to have shrunk in on himself and he looked, almost, fragile. Dark circles had latched themselves under his eyes and his usually bouncy hair was greasy from lack of care.  Hanbin swallowed, feeling guilty for not noticing his Hyung was suffering - his unobservantness was beginning to become a pattern, and offered a weak smile.

"You didn't have to do that, Hyung, I could have handled it."

"Maybe I was a bit harsh on him." YunHyeong nodded and scrubbed a hand over his face. "I don't know how Jiwon coped with this everyday, I'm just exhausted."

"You're doing fine... and you could always ask us for help, none of us would mind."

"Did _Jiwon_ ask for help?" YunHyeong shot back dryly.

"No, but Jiwon Hyung made a lot of mistakes; maybe if he had asked, then- well…"

"Bin-a… I didn't mean- I'm sorry. Maybe we'd all be a bit better off if we listened to you more. Next time, I'll ask."

"Of course you would better with me in charge, I'm just amazing like that." Hanbin teased and felt the tension in his shoulders ease when YunHyeong smiled back at him. That had defiantly been the right thing to say.

"Yeah, yeah you are."

Feeling awkward at the elders sincere reply, Hanbin cleared his throat and looked around the room to find the others had started to take notice of them. The break was nearly over and DongHyuk still hadn't returned so Hanbin turned back to YunHyeong, a plan forming in his mind. He knew the other would feel bad for snapping at DongHyuk and it would loom over the whole pack like a dark cloud if not dealt with.

"Hyung, why don't you go and get Dong-a. Talk to him; find out what's up with him and I'll keep the others busy with practice."

"You sure?" YunHyeong looked torn between following after DongHyuk and staying with the others, who were definitely trying to eavesdrop now.

"Yeah, I can handle them for a bit."

"Remains to be seen if they can handle you." YunHyeong winked and reached up to ruffle Hanbin's hair. "Thank you... for understanding."

"Of course."

Hanbin watched YunHyeong walk over to pick up his own and DongHyuk's water bottles before heading to the door. Jinhwan, who had been hovering nervously in the background, must have also noticed YunHyeong's imminent departure as he stepped in front of the Alpha's path; looking deeply concerned.

Turning back to the music player as the sight of the pair talking intimately with each other and YunHyeong's gentle hand trailing down the smaller boys neck caused Hanbin’s heart to twist, his shoulders hunched instinctively against the unwanted emotions. If this had happened before Jinhwan might have ignored him for the rest of the day or maybe he would have scolded Hanbin for causing problems again, but now… now he would do neither and the uncertainty of what he _would_ do made the Beta's heart race.

Despite things having improved enormously within the pack, in a sickening sort of way, Hanbin wished for things to go back to how they were. To hear the biting and accusatory words again so he could convince himself, even for a moment, that none of it had happened and he could forget the feel of groping hands on his body.

At least in the past he could tell himself the anger and disdain came from society and not his packmates directly; making it a bit easier to bare. However, the pity and concern he got now just made him feel pathetic. He didn't want their charity.

Once YunHyeong had ducked out of the room, Hanbin avoided meeting JinHwan's eyes and started up the song to begin another run through. Watching his feet as he made his way to the start position, he tried to ignore the unsettledness of the others seeping into the air. Usually their scents were calming or at least easily ignored if they weren't but as Hanbin squeezed into the centre of their huddle he had to force back a raw choke at the overpowering aroma.

By the time they were on the second run of the song, it was becoming nearly impossible for Hanbin to ignore the looks both Jinhwan and Junhoe sent at the door. Hanbin had felt their heavy gazes on the back of his neck countless times as he determinedly navigated the choreography; avoiding the searching eyes in the mirror at all costs.

The entire room seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief when, at last, Yunhyeong opened the door with a tired smile on his face. The sight brought Hanbin up short and he froze in the middle of the room. It took him a moment to realise what he was looking at but, when it finally hit him, Hanbin felt his heart sink.

He knew that smile. Knew the curve; the slight twitch, and, most importantly, he knew the turmoil underneath that it was meant to hide. Hanbin had caught the barely there smile aimed at him on nights he crawled back to the dorm bruised, exhausted, and unable to bare Yunhyeong being anywhere near him. The tension in his gut tightened further when the door slid shut behind the Alpha with no DongHyuk in tow.

“You good?” Hanbin croaked.

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” Yunhyeong nodded and then nodded again, not meeting Hanbin's eyes. “Dong just went to the… he’ll be back in a moment.”

“Good.”

Hanbin tracked Yunhyeong as the elder walked across the room and wondered if things were really okay. He nearly broke the strained silence when the other boy paused in front of the group looking around and seeming so incredibly lost that it seemed as if someone else other than Yunhyeong had walked through the practise room door.

“Are you going to run it again?”

Blinking, Hanbin looked around at the curious face behind him and shook his head.

“We’ll wait for DongHyuk-a to get back so there aren’t any more interruptions to-”

“I’m here.” A voice sneered from the doorway just as the heavy wood slammed shut; making Hanbin jump. “Just get on with whatever you were going to do.”

YunHyeong's face, when Hanbin looked over at him for guidance, was scarily blank as he watched the Omega solemnly. Something was very, _very_ wrong and Hanbin ached to gather his pack together to help in anyway he knew. Instead, he nodded stiffly and headed back to the music player to restart the song.

Rather than easing his mind like usual the dance seemed to taunt Hanbin as the mercilessly rehearsed moves drifted through his mind but got lost on the way to his limbs; making it clumsy and frustrating to keep up with the practise. The fact that his eyes seemed to stray endlessly to Yunhyeong and DongHyuk in the mirror didn’t help his already fraying focus in the humid air.  Watching Yunhyeong struggle to move his own limbs around the floor really brought home how uneasily the mantle of Pack Alpha was sitting on his unaccustomed shoulders. Hanbin found he had to force a breath down his tight throat as empathy for the other drowned his heaving lungs. An involuntary mask was a heavy burden to bare even if it was shaped like a crown.

As the final notes of the song dissipated in the air Hanbin had to look away from the desolate expression YunHyeong sent up to the ceiling as he brushed his sweaty hair away from his forehead. Closing his eyes tightly to try and force the heart-breaking image out of his mind, Hanbin stepped forward to head towards the stereo but felt his foot get caught on something solid before he was falling.

Snapping his attention back to the room around him, Hanbin managed to get his feet underneath himself and ran forwards to try and regain his balance but didn’t realise how close he was to the wall length mirror. A bone deep numbness spread across his face as he collided with it and Hanbin sank to the floor, his face frozen and tears stinging in his eyes.

It took a few seconds for the shock to wear off but the splintering pain slamming into his face forced Hanbin’s mouth open in an attempt to ease the pure agony; a cut off squeak escaping his throat as he did so. The room around him was frozen for a heartbeat before a full bodied roar rattled through Hanbin’s mind.

Spinning around, clutching his nose as the sudden movement made it throb even more, Hanbin spotted Jiwon fighting against Chanwoo as the younger Alpha had him pinned to the wall with all of his strength. The maknae’s face was pale with terror as he wrestled with the stronger and more experienced Alpha currently trying to claw his way out of his skin.

“I’m going to rip your fucking leg off your fucking body.” Jiwon bellowed, elbowing Chanwoo in the face to try and claw his way around the younger’s body. “How dare you touch what’s mine; how dare you hurt him!”

Hanbin stared in astonishment, his vision blurring through the tears spilling out his eyes from the impact, and tried to understand what was happening. Jiwon’s rage seemed to be aimed at Junhoe who stood behind a primed Yunhyeong and scowling Jinhwan, looking just as confused as Hanbin felt. Junhoe’s mouth fell open in retort but YunHyeong's heated gaze stopped him short and he let it go with a deep frown.

“ **Get off me**.” Jiwon grunted, changing up his tactic and trying to force Chanwoo into submission but using his Alpha strength to influence him.

“Jiwon, you need to calm down.” Yunhyeong spoke gently but a thread of pure steel wove its way through the words; he had his arm outstretched towards Jiwon as if soothing a wild animal.

“Don’t tell me to calm down.” Jiwon spat. “Tell that shithead not to attack a member of my pack. How dare he touch my-”

“This is **_my_ **pack and you will **calm down**.”

Jiwon seemed to still under the order and his head fell back against the wall with a loud thud; his chest rising and falling dramatically as he tried to regain control but his resentful gaze remained on Junhoe. Chanwoo adjusted his hold on the other’s bulging arms and locked his legs to fully restrain the Alpha even during the apparent moment of calmness.

“Is everyone out of their damn minds around here? What the fuck is going on?” DongHyuk demanded.

“That’s _not_ helping.” Yunhyeong turned his fierce gaze onto the other boy who shrunk back against the opposite wall looking slightly contrite. “Everybody just breathe and take a fucking moment. Okay?”

Once he had received nods form everyone scattered around the room Yunhyeong angled his body slightly towards Hanbin but kept one watchful eye on the seething Alpha in the corner.

“Bin-a, are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m… I’m okay.” Hanbin stuttered out, still watching the insane display in front of him in disbelief. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?” Jinhwan immediately raced forward, ignoring the low growl from Jiwon, so he was standing in front of Hanbin and could peer up into his face. “Did you blackout at all? Do you feel dizzy?”

It was as if the words were spoken to the bruised part of his face directly as the pain flared to life, the bridge of his nose and upper lip began to pulse heavily in time with his heart beat and Hanbin winced. The growl the had been buzzing through the room suddenly spiked and Chanwoo crashed Jiwon back into the wall; pinning him again when the other tried to move.

“It wasn’t that hard; I tripped.” Hanbin explained feeling incredibly lame. “I meant what happened with…” Hanbin trailed off and waved around the room vaguely.

Jinhwan paused where he had been about to reach out and blinked owlishly at Hanbin. Hanbin’s brow creased and he searched his Hyung's gaze for a hint of what he had obviously missed.

“Junhoe tripped you up by accident.” Jinhwan stated after a moment of stillness, as if that answered everything, and reached out again. “Does it hurt? Well, I mean I know it hurts, but is it bad? Why is there so much blood-”

Jinhwan’s rambling was cut off when Hanbin jerked back from his probing fingers, a small whine of pain being released, and an answering howl engulfed the room. Jiwon had managed to fling himself away from Chanwoo, who was sprawled out on the floor, and straight towards a wide eyed Junhoe. Yunhyeong, however, seemed to be ready and he grabbed Jiwon around the waist to body slam him into the floor.

Hanbin shot his arm out to stop Jinhwan intervening with the two grappling Alphas; pulling the angry Omega beside himself so they were pressed flat against the wall. Watching in horror with baited breath, Hanbin tried to fight through his instinctual panic and come up with a plan.

Before he could conjure anything up, Jiwon landed a solid punch on YunHyeong's cheek which snapped the Alpha’s head around to a sickening angle. Junhoe had then launched himself into the fight with a fearsome bellow; intend on defending his Pack Alpha against the perceived threat.

“Do something! Please just do something!” DongHyuk screamed, tears streaming down his face as he curled tightly against the wall directly across from them and Hanbin desperately wanted to get to the younger boy. “You have to stop them. Just please-”

Hanbin watched the chaos around him and tried to fight against the unintelligible screams, both in and outside of his head, to think of something - _anything_. A ringing started up in his blurry senses as everything started to overwhelm him until the only thing he could hear was his own racing heartbeat.

Time seemed to travel in a series of disconnected snapshots as Jinhwan pulled Hanbin’s face down in front of his own to try and say something. The other appeared to be yelling but Hanbin couldn’t focus on the blurry figure in front of him and he wrenched his head free only for it to hit something hard behind him.

A blink later and Jinhwan was no longer beside him but across the room and helping two new presences tangle themselves into the wreathing bundle in the centre of the room. Hanbin shook his head to try and clear his foggy mind, it wasn’t a bundle and it was important he began untangling them but something just wouldn’t connect as he stood on the swaying floor.

Scanning around the room to try and help himself, Hanbin looked back at the bundle only to find the slashes of angry colour had been separated and had morphed into figures. The three blurs seemed to call to Hanbin, wail out for him, and despite his fear of them he wanted to return their calls.

Looking down at his feet to make sure they went down on the fluid ground where he wanted them, Hanbin took a few cautious steps forward before his arm was caught in a strong grip. A large hand waving in front of his face brought Hanbin up short and he followed the fingers to a hand and then to an arm before finally reaching something intimately familiar.

“-bin. Hanbin, can you hear me?”

“Channie?” Hanbin asked, his voice sounding muffled as he tried to focus on the other boy.

“Yeah, Hyung, I’ve got you.”

Hanbin smiled and let the crazy flailing in his mind quieten down as he sagged into the sturdy body beside him. As the world slowly stopped spinning Hanbin registered the strong arms wrapped around his chest and long legs boxing him in so he was leaning back against Chanwoo’s body.  Lifting his head and blinking against the bright lights, Hanbin tried to piece together where he was. The comforting warmth of his maknae’s body kept the panic prowling in the back of his mind at bay as he squeezed his eyes shut and focused on his scattered breathing. Once he opened his eyes back up everything seemed to return in a tidal wave as the sounds of the room barged their way back into his head.

“Hold him Minho, for god’s sake, get him pinned.” A desperate voice shouted over a cacophony of growls and swear words.

“What do you think I’m trying to do?” An equally distressed voice replied. “You try and pin a feral Alpha next time.”

“Just hold them apart for a little bit longer. It's hard to maintain anger when there’s nothing to fight; they’ll calm down eventually.”

Hanbin followed the third voice, that seemed to be filled with shaking confidence, until his eyes landed on a face and everything snapped into place: Jinhwan, Jinhwan was here and so were the pack and so was- _Jiwon_. Hanbin tried to launch himself out of his seated position but the arms fastened around him held him still.

“Don’t move, Hyung. You’ll only make it worse.” Chanwoo whispered softly into Hanbin’s hair, making him shiver from the puff of warm air on his neck.

“Stop fighting me, you bastard.” One of the voices spoke again and Hanbin spotted SeungHoon restraining Jiwon in a bear hug. “We’re all trying to help you here.”

“I have no problem with _you_.” Jiwon snarled. “Let me rip him to shreds.”

“Yeah? I’d like to see you try.” Junhoe taunted and Hanbin’s head swivelled around to see him in a mirror image of Jiwon but being held back by Minho.

“Don’t push him, you idiot.” Minho grunted and pulled the cocky Alpha backwards a few steps further.

“What’s he going to do? A bunch of Alpha posing isn’t going to scare me.”

“Junhoe, for once, shut the fuck up and listen.” Jinhwan barked out, his own hands busy running up and down YunHyeong's shaking arms in a calming gesture.

“You saying I couldn’t take him?”

“No, I’m telling you to-”

“You couldn’t take me, you’re just a spoiled brat.” Jiwon spat bucking up against SeungHoon to try and break free.

“Prove it.” Junhoe yelled back pushing away from Minho and raising his arms out to the side in a defiant move before the other boy could get in front of him again. “I’m just as strong as you.”

“If you were you would never have submitted to me as Pack Alpha.”

“You’re not our Pack Alpha any- _fucking_ -more.”

Jiwon’s face darkened with a potent mix of fury and guilt; the rest of the room holding its breath to see what would happen next. Hanbin strained against Chanwoo’s arms to try and reach out to stop the hateful words that both boys would regret as soon as they calmed down.

“So you think that means it’s okay for you to hurt someone weaker than you? To hurt what’s _mine_?” Jiwon’s voice was low and deadly. “Some Pack Alpha you would make.”

“At least I know you can’t own a person.”

“You think I fucking don’t?”

“Hanbin’s isn’t yours.”

“What did you say?” Jiwon questioned after a slight pause, voice shell-shocked and hollow.

“You heard me.” Junhoe smirked, reached over Minho’s shoulder to point an accusing finger at Jiwon. “Just because he’s a Beta doesn’t mean you can own him. _He’s. Not. Yours._ ”

“He’s not-”

Jiwon’s voice caught in his throat and Hanbin watched as all the blood drained from his face as the anger did the same from the body. Jiwon froze for a moment, his vision glazed over and suspiciously shiny, before turning and locking eyes with Hanbin. Hanbin fell under a spell as he returned the profound stare and waited for the Alpha’s next move.”

“No, he’s not mine.”

The words felt like a physical blow to Hanbin as he collapsed back against Chanwoo who immediately began lightly tracing his hands over Hanbin’s body, scent marking in a way that should be calming between packmates but everything felt _wrong_. Hanbin tried to keep himself from shaking, sure everyone in the room could hear his teeth grinding from the effort, and just hold still for fear he would shake apart. The words shouldn't have matter, just that morning he had told himself it was unlikely Jiwon felt the same way; Hanbin had prepared himself for this very event but somehow it was still gut wrenching to hear the words confirmed to him.

“See that wasn’t so hard was it?” Junhoe ribbed. “Apparently you can be decent.”

Hanbin stared at Jiwon’s bowed head and the fine tremor that was beginning to start up in his hands where they clutched at SeungHoon's restraining ones.

“Ju-ne, stop.” Hanbin croaked but it was barely audible.

“Even if he did want anything to do with you, I don’t know why he would after what you’ve done, he still wouldn’t be yours.”

“ _Stop_ , stop it.” Hanbin begged, restarting his struggles to get away and get to his Alpha. Couldn’t they all see how close Jiwon was to splintering; irreparably falling apart right in front of them.

“You couldn’t do anything right by him then and you still can’t _now_. He’d be better off without you.”

“Stop, please stop.” Hanbin sobbed and every head whipped towards him apart from the ones that mattered.

“How can you even look him in the eye after how you treated him all these years?”

“You think I don’t regret that?” Jiwon answered, voice barely louder than a breath.

“Regret doesn’t change the past.”

“ **I know it doesn’t.** ” Jiwon’s hoarse scream rang through the room and Hanbin whimpered at the raw anguish. “No matter what I do now it won’t change a damn thing. I can’t take back my words or my actions. All I can do is live with this _fucking guilt_ every time I look at him and I know I’m part of the reason he barely smiles anymore. Know that I’m responsible for his flinches and secrecy and _pain_. Do you know how much it breaks my heart every time I remember that I gave my _permission_ for two pigs to rape him? What right do I have to do that? Because I’m a fucking _Alpha_? And all for what? I was _stupid_ and _jealous_ and so deep in denial I couldn’t stand the person I had become; so I lashed out and I fucked up in the worst way possible. What can say to him to make this right? How do you offer your regret and guilt to someone you violated in such a way? Tell me, how could I _possibly_ hope to earn his forgiveness? So don’t you dare, don’t you _fucking_ dare, talk to me about regrets. You don’t know shit.”

The only sound in the room came from Jiwon’s haggard breathing as the jumble of words fell to the ground like a lead weight, fully visible for everyone to see but no one wanted to move forward to touch; to acknowledge; to _accept_ them.

“I think I’m going to be sick…” DongHyuk gagged and ran for the door, a hand clamped over his nose and mouth.

The sound of the door slamming seemed to be the catalyst for the world to start revolving again and Junhoe launched himself at Jiwon. Minho, who had been staring at Hanbin with undisguised horror wasn’t quite fast enough to catch the furious Alpha. Luckily, SeungHoon was able to release Jiwon in time, who fell to the floor like a rag doll, and grab a hold of Junhoe; halting his forward charge.

Minho recovered quickly and joined SeungHoon in restraining Junhoe; finally forcing the deranged Alpha out of the room and down the hallway. Hanbin huddled back into Chanwoo as his packmate’s shouts were heard echoing down the hallway long after he had gone.


	18. What all falls apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy September everybody. We are officially in a sane world again as autumn approaches and the hot weather can kindly fuck off - thank you very much.  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. I swear they keep getting longer because I keep falling in love with the boys more and more these days. But who isn't lmao.  
> A big shout out to @m00dym00nie for being my beta for this. They are awesome and you should all love them very much! X  
> Please leave a kudo if u enjoy the chapter and a comment with anything, ANYTHING, at all. I feed on the attention. Lmao  
> I hope you enjoy x

Hanbin kept his head ducked into Chanwoo’s chest as the frenzied yelling disappeared into a distorted ringing; the silence painful in his ears as the memory of his dongsaeng’s pain branded itself into his senses. Rubbing his nose up and down the Alpha’s sweaty shirt in small movements settled Hanbin’s heartbeat, but the ache and agitation remained thrumming through his limbs.

The silence in the room took on a faught edge when a strangled sob caught in the air. Hanbin froze against Chanwoo, clenching his fists to try and stop himself from breaking as well, and silently begged Jiwon to stop. It felt selfish and wrong but Hanbin couldn’t bear to listen to the choked off cries that continued to spill into the air.

When the anguished noises began to turn into heaving breaths and shuddering exhales, Hanbin couldn’t hold back any more. Twisting away from Chanwoo, Hanbin dug his fingers into the Maknae’s arm and turned to look at the source of the distressed scent clogging up the room.

Hanbin’s breath was punched out of his lungs when his gaze landed on Jiwon.

The Alpha was crumpled in the middle of the floor where he had fallen, the slump of the kneeling figure bringing flashes of the last time Hanbin had seen him in such a position. His head was bowed and Hanbin watched the messy curls shaking with the force of how hard Jiwon was vibrating; trailing his eyes down to take in the collapsed arch of Jiwon’s shoulders and the limp arms resting at his sides.

It was too much, the groaning too broken and the lifeless pose too devastating, for Hanbin to sit still any longer. Unfolding his legs, Hanbin shifted his weight to stand up but Chanwoo tensed and immediately pulled him back down.

"Chanwoo-ya, let me up. I need to help him."

"I don't think it's safe for you to-"

"Please." Hanbin begged, feeling his chest tighten as something held him back despite his body thrumming with need to help it's other half. "Someone has to do  _ something _ ."

"Hyung, he let you get-"

" _ Look at him _ !" Hanbin found himself crying out in desperation, his fingers turning from grounding to fighting as they clawed at Chanwoo. "He needs help."

A doubtful expression flitted across Chanwoo's face before a hard look of determination set in his features; tinged with anger and fear. Hanbin recognised the look of an Alpha who wouldn't be reasoned with and growled low in his throat. The threatening sound only causing Chanwoo to hang on tighter. Realising he had no chance of escaping Chanwoo's grip, he turned back to a still motionless Jiwon and tried to gather himself.

As Hanbin dragged in a deep breath Jiwon fell forwards onto his hands, as if Hanbin had drawn the breath from Jiwon's body instead of the air, his head still hanging low as he muttered frantically to himself.

"Jiwon." Hanbin cried out, renewing his struggle to get out of the circle of Chanwoo's arms.

The desperate shout must have finally reached through something because Jiwon's eyes snapped up to meet Hanbin's and it felt as though he had been pinned to the spot. The Alpha's eyes, that Hanbin had spent years avoiding and then memorising and then avoiding again, burned into him and caused Hanbin to worry even more. The defeated soul that looked back wasn't his Alpha, didn't even resemble the spirited rebel that usually resided there, but there was something so raw and vulnerable about the look; Hanbin couldn't look away.

"Alpha…" The name tumbled out of Hanbin's lips with his shocked breath.

There was a moment of complete stillness as everyone held their breath, waiting to see what Jiwon would do.

"Bin-a?" Jiwon's voice floated into the air, lost and childlike.

"Yeah, it's me; I'm here."

"Bin-a, I'm so sorry…" Jiwon choked out, real tears streaming down his cheeks at last and his face crumpled. "I'm sorry… I'll fix it… I'm sorry… I'll fix it… I'll fix it… I'll fix it..."

Jiwon began rocking back and forth as he continued to sob out the words in shuddering breaths; sometimes just breaking completely into incomprehensible babbling that tore Hanbin's heart from his chest.

As Jiwon visibly broke down even more Chanwoo's grip around Hanbin tightened. The intention behind the grip had changed from restraining to desperate and Hanbin realised Chanwoo must have been terrified at the sight of his packmate falling apart.

As he continued to gently coo at the distraught Alpha, Hanbin looked around the room until he spotted the other two members huddled together. They were pressed back against the wall; YunHyeong had his head buried in JinHwan's shoulder while the Omega stared obstinately forward as tears streamed down his face.

Hanbin was so incredibly grateful that everyone seemed to be on the same page of giving Jiwon space and he finally realised why Chanwoo had kept him away. A hurt Alpha could, and would, lash out; even if the nearest object was a well meaning packmate. Jiwon was definitely hurt, mentally eviscerated, and Hanbin didn't want the other to have anymore guilt on his conscience if he hurt someone else.

Continuing to call out soft words that he hoped comforted the other, Hanbin settled himself further into Chanwoo's lap, trying to offer something for the younger to anchor to, while he kept his focus on Jiwon. Chanwoo curled easily into the new position and pressed his face into Hanbin's shoulder, a small wet patch beginning to grow on his shirt there.

It was completely understandable for everyone to be so affected, the misery in the room was palpable, but Hanbin tugged his focus away from his own urge to cry to turn back on Jiwon. The Alpha had finally quieted down and sat watching Hanbin.

As they both studied each other, each haunted by their own pain, Hanbin was struck by how important the next move would be.

_ This _ , this moment, was  _ it _ . The point at which all the fractures and falters reached out to. Where all the hints of friction began to cause splinters in the foundation. Where all the tears held back and those that couldn't be contained rolled down to. Where all of them, every single last warning sign, had been leading up to. This split second could break them for good or it could make them; Hanbin just had to work out how to get the outcome he wanted.

The weight of responsibility settled on Hanbin's shoulders and he tried to stamp out the anger that bloomed in his chest because of it. Everyone was seemingly waiting for him to do something and it wasn't fair.

Couldn't they see that he was barely holding himself together without their added pressure; that he had been holding on by the skin of teeth for years now just to stay afloat? Nobody had been there for Hanbin when he had been at his lowest. Knowing he wouldn't have let them be there to support him, even if they had tried, didn't matter because not a single member had even seemed to notice. The little voice in his head from the morning sneered in his ear and Hanbin set his shoulders in resolve. Time and _time_ again he was reminded he wasn't good enough and struggling to do his best didn't change that, but looking at his pack members failing around him, Hanbin knew he could do nothing but give his all; even if there was nothing left of him at the end.

It made sense that it was left up to him to deal with the situation since it was his fault. His weakness and alienness had caused the rifts and arguments within the pack that were now ripped open and on display. Hanbin had spilt the pack from the inside out; turned -what should have been - a family against itself.

Looking at Jiwon now, Hanbin could see the expectation there. The Alpha was waiting for his move; he looked coiled with indecision but completely ready to follow whatever path Hanbin chose in a heartbeat, whether that was to run away or run into his arms.

"Okay…" Hanbin muttered to himself, taking one last deep breath before meeting Jiwon's gaze head on. "Ji? You with us now? You back in control?"

"Hanbin, I'm sorry. I messed up."

"Don't worry about that now." Hanbin reassured gently. "Nobody got hurt."

Jiwon looked immediately guilty at the statement and his hands balled into fists but there was something else there, something Jiwon clearly wasn't sure how to communicate.

"Was there something else?"

"I told them."

"Told them what?"

"You wanted to keep it private and I told them. Now they know; even people outside the pack know. I'm so sorry, Bin, I took the choice away from you and now…"

Hanbin waited for the panic to come as the words reminded him of how he had been exposed but none came. Despite not wanting them to know, now that they did, there was nothing to be done about it. The pity aimed his way might be annoying for a while but Hanbin could probably manipulate them into dropping the issue quickly enough; he had before after all. Maybe it was easier to stop people caring if it was all an act in the first place.

Hanbin considered Jiwon's words but quickly dismissed them, he had forgotten about it in all the confusion and, all things considered, it wasn't a big deal. Nothing about that situation had any choice involved and Hanbin was almost glad it was out in the open. Jiwon, however, was obviously distressed by the idea so Hanbin settled on a small lie to try and ease his mind.

"They already knew."

"What?"

"Yeah, Minho and SeungHoon, I um… told them because I was worried about… Jinwoo being… I was worried something had happened to him."

"You told them?" Jiwon blinked slowly at Hanbin, the doubt clear on his face.

"Yeah. It's not a big deal so-"

"No, you didn't." A voice snapped sternly from across the room and Hanbin grimaced as he looked over at JinHwan, having completely forgotten the others were there.

"Hyung, I-"

"No, I  _ know _ you didn't because  _ I've _ spoken to them."

Hanbin froze, all words dying in his throat as he realised he had been caught out. Even if Jinhwan hadn't said anything it was clear Jiwon hadn't believed him - Minho's reaction had probably said it all.

"You lied?" Jiwon's voice shook.

"I-" Hanbin bit his lip and looked down at the floor.

"Why would you lie to me?"

"It wasn't on purpose." Hanbin desperately backpedaled.

"Seemed like it was. Why did you lie?"

"I- I was trying to- I didn't want you to blame yourself for something that doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter? Why do you always say that? You  _ do _ matter, Hanbin; you know that, right?"

"I…" Hanbin trailed off, he couldn't bring himself to lie to Jiwon again.

Something Hanbin couldn't quite name flared in the Alpha's eyes at his hesitation and Hanbin shrunk back, unsure what exactly was going on. The change in the other boy's body and scent shot through Hanbin and he whined.

"What else have you lied about to protect us from blaming ourselves?" Jiwon questioned, climbing to his feet and lurching forward. "What else have you kept from us?"

The accusations and imposing movement towards him made Hanbin's brain scramble and he reached out a hand to ward off the threat.

"Alpha, I didn't-"

Jiwon paused and his expression turned from hurt to concerned. Reaching out a hand, Jiwon began moving again but no sooner had he taken a step forward, a deep growl erupted from behind Hanbin; causing the Alpha to spring back and tumble to the floor as if he had been burned. Chanwoo, who had been sitting quietly against the wall, gathered Hanbin further into his arms and twisted to the side so he was truly out of Jiwon's reach.

"Don't come near him." Chanwoo spat, clenching his arms around Hanbin even more.

Hanbin watched as Jiwon sat sprawled out on the floor, his chest heaving and eyes wide as he shook his head slowly to himself. Chanwoo continued to smother Hanbin against his chest; rubbing a calming hand up and down his spine.

"Bin, I didn't mean- I'm sorry…"

"You  _ keep _ saying that." Chanwoo barked but Hanbin placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Chanu-ya, you're not helping."

"But Hyung, he-"

"Made a mistake." Hanbin interrupted firmly. "He made a mistake."

"What if he makes another mistake? What if you get hurt again?"

"I can take care of myself. I need you to trust me; so I can help him. You do trust me, don't you?"

It was a low blow, and Hanbin knew it, but he needed to get to Jiwon and calm the Alpha down. If he worked himself up again he could pass out or go feral; neither of which would be good. Chanwoo was shaken and on edge but he couldn't be a priority when Jiwon was primed to explode.

Hanbin watched Chanwoo look between himself and Jiwon with obvious hesitance but finally, after a tense staring contest, the younger boy nodded.

"I do, but if something goes bad I'm here to back you." Hanbin smiled warmly at the unexpected words and bumped cheeks with Chanwoo before untangling himself.

"I wouldn't have anyone else."

"And Hyung," Chanwoo caught Hanbin's arm to hold him back just a moment longer. "Don't put yourself at risk. You matter a hell of a lot to all of us."

Hanbin looked down into Chanwoo's sincere eyes and nodded, feeling profoundly touched by the simple words, before scurrying over to Jiwon. Passing by JinHwan and YunHyeong, Hanbin nodded to them as well; receiving a grim dip of a head in return.

As he settled on the floor about a metre away from Jiwon, Hanbin felt the full power of Jiwon's distressed pheromones hit him. The scent prickled his nose and nearly choked him up as he tried to smile at Jiwon's fretful expression.

"Jiwon?" Hanbin tried cautiously, not sure how in control the shaking Alpha was.

"Binnie, I'm really sorry. I know I keep messing up but I'm trying."

"I know." Hanbin hushed him. "I know you are."

"I'm sorry. I'll fix it, I really will."

"Of course you will and I'll be here the whole time. I'm not going anywhere."

Jiwon's choked off cry was the only warning Hanbin got before he was being crushed by a warm body. A strong heartbeat was pounding against his arms where they were pinned between their bodies and Hanbin felt his own echoing it's rhythm as he relaxed into the familiar hold that just felt right.

"Hyung?" A worried cry came from over his shoulder.

"It's okay, Chanwoo-ya, everything's alright."

Jiwon finally seemed to unwind at Hanbin's words; his bruising grip turning into tentative petting before at last his hands reached down to pull Hanbin into his lap and forced the Beta to straddle his legs. Hanbin settled easily and wrapped his arms around Jiwon’s shoulders; tilting his head down to press his lips against the other boy’s neck. Jiwon rumbled happily at the movement and pressed his own face into Hanbin’s neck.

They stayed tangled in each others hold for a few deep breaths before Jiwon began to press closed mouth kisses against the sensitive skin; making Hanbin shiver with each one. As Jiwon grew in confidence he let his tongue poke out and trail down Hanbin’s neck until he latched onto the join of his shoulder; biting down on the tendon there and then pulling away to blow on the wet skin.

Hanbin tipped his head back at the sensation and Jiwon swapped to the other side to give it the same treatment, holding the skin in his mouth  _ longer _ and  _ harder _ than before. When he finally released his hold, Jiwon raised his head up to meet Hanbin’s gaze and slowly leaned in to press their foreheads together.

"I'm so sorry, Bin."

"Careful, you keep saying that and I might think you mean it."

"I do mean it."

"I know."

"You keep saying that" Jiwon huffed lightly. "but I don't see how you can mean it. How can you just forgive me?"

“It takes more than a few harsh words to drive me away.” Hanbin teased but Jiwon seemed to deflate and pulled away, staring down at the floor.

“I don’t want you to have to force yourself to stay. I want you to  _ want _ to stay.”

“I already do, I’m just trying to convince you of that.” Hanbin smiled weakly and reached out a hand to brush away the tear tracks staining the other boy's face but pulled back at the last minute, suddenly unsure how he would be received.

Jiwon caught the movement and surprised Hanbin by catching the hand so he could slowly lean down to nuzzle into Hanbin's open palm. The brush of the Alpha's fingers, intertwined with his own, caused a flutter to start up in Hanbin's chest and, for once, he didn't try to fight or quell it.

The care with which Jiwon pressed his face into the touch was something so reverent Hanbin felt himself starting to shake with the power of the movement. Something major had changed between them, between them  _ all _ , and Hanbin allowed himself the luxury of hope.

"I don’t deserve you." Jiwon mumbled into Hanbin's skin, his voice cracking, before pulling away with a gentle kiss to Hanbin's thumb.

Hanbin snorted at Jiwon’s cheesy statement and Jiwon smiled back, his eyes lighting up and his buck teeth making an appearance. For the few seconds it lasted, Hanbin let himself get lost in the joy on Jiwon’s face before the Alpha spotted something over Hanbin’s shoulder and the expression fell away.

Following his gaze, Hanbin spotted the three other members all watching them in various stages of confusion and reluctantly began to peel himself away from Jiwon. The Alpha was back in control now so there was no reason for him to be practically in his lap and it not be weird. They weren’t dating or courting and, as far as Hanbin knew, Jiwon wanted to take it slow and keep it private.

However, just as he dropped his arms from Jiwon’s shoulders and sat back on the ground, Jiwon wrapped his arms around Hanbin’s waist and held him back against his chest; sparing just a glance down at him before turning back to the remaining members of the pack. Hanbin froze for a moment and then accepted the new position, leaning back as well.

“I’m sorry.” Jiwon spoke earnestly; making eye contact with each of the others one at a time. “I’m really sorry.”

YunHyeong and Jinhwan both nodded and attempted a smile at Jiwon’s apology but Chanwoo deliberately looked away and crossed his arms. Hanbin wasn’t surprised at the youngest boy’s reaction, he was the only one who hadn’t known beforehand, but it was still better than lashing out again.

“What happened?” Yunhyeong finally asked.

“I- I just saw Hanbin-a fall and I smelled the blood and Junhoe was… I just saw red and I lost control.”

“It was an accident.” Jinhwan sounded dumbfounded. "Nobody hurt him on purpose."

“I know. I just saw Junhoe cause him to fall and I- wait, where’s Junhoe?”

“Minho and SeungHoon took him away.” YunHyeong explained, picking up on Jiwon’s worry and climbing to his feet. “Why?”

“You have to go after him. He needs his pack right now; he needs his Pack Alpha. He thinks there is a threat to one of his packmates, he thinks  _ I’m _ a threat, and he won’t calm down unless he knows otherwise. He could hurt himself and the others."

“Right umm… okay.” YunHyeong strode over to the door but stopped and turned back to them. “Shouldn’t you come as well? I don't… I don't know how to deal with this."

“I…” Jiwon’s arms flexed and tightened, and Hanbin felt like a ragdoll from the amount of times he had been manhandled since everything had kicked off, but despite his reluctance Hanbin could sense the longing in the Alpha’s body.

“You should go.” Hanbin spoke quietly, so that only Jiwon could hear, and stared down at the Alpha’s hands clasped around his waist.

“But Bin, I…”

“It would mean more if it came from you.” Hanbin reasoned, still not able to meet Jiwon’s eye. “You’ll have to talk to him sometime. Explain it to him now so he doesn’t jump to any conclusions on his own.”

The words felt like bile on his tongue and Hanbin wanted nothing more than to selfishly demand Jiwon to stay. More than that, he wanted Jiwon to see that it wasn't what he really wanted and choose Hanbin's wishes over the others. Just  _ once _ he wanted to come first, especially when it came to Jiwon, but Hanbin bit his cheek and kept quiet.

“What if I don’t want to leave you? What if I can’t?”

"Jiwonnie…" Hanbin breathed out and pulled away from where he had been tucked in the other's arms, if he remained so close to him for much longer he knew he would lose his resolve to send the other away. "I don't want you to go, but you need to."

"I want to be here for you. I’ll stay, if you need me.”

"I know, my Alpha." Hanbin bit his lip as Jiwon's breath hitched, but continued on. "But you have to go after them. They're your pack and they're broken."

"What about you? Are you my pack?" The  _ ‘are you broken too? _ ’ was left unsaid but it hung heavy in the air.

"We can talk when you're done." Hanbin confirmed lightly, unsure why he couldn't just say he would be anything for Jiwon if the other just asked him; that he had already given himself wholly to the other even to the point of destroying himself. "Right now though, you need to fix this; there's no other option."

Jiwon looked pained as he gazed around the room and then back down at Hanbin but when he did, there was something new in his eyes that told Hanbin the Alpha had decided. Hanbin swallowed in disappointment but forced himself to nod and finally step away from the other boy. It was for the best; Hanbin was just being silly and insecure.

"Make sure you take care of your nose."

"I will. I'll be fine."

Jiwon's lips parted as if he had something more to add but he thought better of it and bit his lip; smiling begrudgingly as he turned to join YunHyeong. Hanbin wrapped his arms around his waist as the chill of being left standing on his own, watching Jiwon walk away from him, crept up on him and made him shiver.

When the two Alphas were level, YunHyeong reached out and grasped Jiwon's shoulder; shaking him a little as they moved towards the door. At first Jiwon seemed to tense up but, when he realised the action wasn't hostile, soon leaned into the strength of the older boy. YunHyeong allowed Jiwon to press against his side; even wrapping an arm over Jiwon's shoulders and pulling him closer to whisper something as they disappeared around the corner.

Hanbin huffed out a breath as the door closed and forced himself to remain rooted to the spot incase his stupid heart decided to run after the Alphas.

Having taken the first step, coerced into taking it alone, the others could start to make their own way. Hanbin would have been happy that his pack mates were so eager to fix things if it weren't for the fact that he would most likely be left behind and forgotten as they healed.

A quiet murmur from the room drew Hanbin's attention back to his Hyung and Maknae. While he had been distracted with the others, JinHwan had made his way over to help Chanwoo to his feet and comfort the younger boy.

As he made his way over to them the pair paused to watch him approach. Chanwoo dusted off his trousers while JinHwan straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest but both looked incredibly relieved to finally have something resembling calm.

"Are you okay?" Chanwoo reached out a hand but Hanbin hunched in on himself to avoid the touch, too wrapped up in his own moping to really think about how the other would take his refusal.

"It is what it is." Hanbin shrugged and tilted his head in dismissal.

"Still, you did a good job, Bin-a." JinHwan praised reaching out to poke at Hanbin's neck with a finger. "Maybe a bit  _ too _ good."

Trying to see where JinHwan had jabbed at him yielded no results so Hanbin glanced up at the mirror, ignoring the eldest's smug grin, and nearly had a stroke when he spotted the blooming dark patch sucked into his skin. Spluttering, his hand slapped up to cover the mark while he tried to compose himself.

"Doesn't mean anything. Just, you know… scenting."

"Sure." JinHwan wiggled his eyebrows.

The good natured ribbing improved Hanbin's mood, the mark on his neck possibly helping a little, and a small smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. Chanwoo also grinned at the teasing and soon enough the residual tension drained from the room.

"It is kind of... dark, isn't it?" Hanbin replied sheepishly, dropping his hand to openly admire the mark in the mirror.

"At least we can explain it as an injury from your fall, not that anyone would believe that but still."

" _ Nani _ !" Hanbin exclaimed and pushed at the Omega, his face heating at the thought of others seeing the mark and  _ knowing _ .

"Can't be helped. You really should get that nose looked at, though, and people will ask questions."

"I suppose…" Hanbin trailed off, dabbing at his top lip he felt a wet stickiness and his fingers came away bright red. "How bad is it?"

"Doesn't look broken." Chanwoo grimaced and he peered into Hanbin's face. "But we should ice it all the same and get you some medicine."

"That sounds like a plan. Listen, are you two okay to get to the infirmary on your own?" JinHwan asked, already moving across the room to his bag.

"And where would you be going, Hyung?" Hanbin asked quietly, feeling his stomach drop and bitterness leak out into his voice.

"Bin?" JinHwan pulled up short and turned back to them, deep concern etched on his face. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I  _ just _ asked where you were going is all. This isn't twenty questions."

JinHwan looked completely taken aback by Hanbin's reply. A strangled exhale left his mouth as he tried to think; even glancing to Chanwoo for help.

"I-" JinHwan's mouth worked over the words a few times before settling on something to say. "DongHyuk ran off alone; I was going to go find him."

"Do you even know where he is?" Hanbin asked spitefully, wanting his Hyung with him and not knowing how to explain that he needed his comfort too. "He could have gone anywhere."

"That's the point of trying to  _ 'find' _ him, I need to make sure he's okay."

"What about  _ me _ ?"

"What about you? You have Chanwoo right there."

The hint of anger starting to build in JinHwan's face was all Hanbin needed to start pushing. The quiet words and sideways glances were something he didn't know how to cope with but JinHwan's anger and frustration were things he could fend off with ease. It would only take a little to push the already stressed Omega over the edge and then maybe Hanbin could claw back some control.

"I don't want him."

"What has gotten into you?" JinHwan accused with a disappointed shake of his head.

"I'm exhausted, Hyung." Hanbin exclaimed, only realising how true it was as the words left his mouth. He had reached his limit and he needed someone,  _ anyone _ , to tell him they would be there for him. The constant switching between emotions messed with his head and Hanbin cursed himself for not being able to keep control. "I'm  _ exhausted _ and not fucking okay at all."

"Well, the  _ fuck _ Hanbin? We all are and right now I need to find Dong." JinHwan exploded. "Chanwoo, take him to the nurse and make sure he ices that nose. I'm leaving."

"But Hyung-" Chanwoo stepped forward to protest.

"Let him go." Hanbin sulked.

The knowledge that he was being completely unreasonable only making him feel even worse and the desire to act out overwhelmed him. The image of DongHyuk crying and cowering against the wall as he called out for help floated across Hanbin's mind and he all at once wanted to help while also cursing the younger for being able to show such weakness.

"You-" JinHwan flexed his jaw in agitation before throwing his arms into the air and grabbing his bag. "Forget it."

The door closed heavily behind JinHwan's retreating back and Hanbin stared at it not quite believing the Omega had actually left. Tears pricked in his eyes and a lump formed in his throat but Hanbin ruthlessly forced it down. This was why he couldn't rely on others, they didn't care about him and he couldn't afford to be this fragile.

"Hyung?" Hanbin tore his gaze away from the empty doorway as a small voice broke through his daze. “Hanbin Hyung?”

" _ What _ ?" Hanbin snapped out, unnecessarily harsh.

"I was just-" Chanwoo recoiled. "Is there anything you want to take with you? I'll carry it."

"I can carry my own goddamn bag."

"I know but you could have a head injury and-"

"Chanwoo! Just drop it." Hanbin rounded on the hovering maknae with a scowl. "I don't want to deal with this right now. I just want to go home."

"You need to go to the doctor for your-"

"No, I'm going home. You can either stay or go, up to you." Hanbin threw the words over his shoulder without looking back and stomped out of the room.

Chanwoo had quickly rushed to catch up with him and they had travelled to the garage in a stony silence. The rest of the journey went in much the same way apart from Chanwoo speaking up to insist they stop at the pharmacy on the way home.

Hanbin had remained sulking in the car and only a muttered a small thank you when Chanwoo handed him the wrapped ice pack; turning back to gazing sullenly out the window as he pressed it to his face.

They arrived at the dorm still having not uttered another word to each other and Hanbin ignored Chanwoo in favour of planting himself on the sofa to watch some mindless television. Chanwoo disappeared into the rest of the dorm and Hanbin only heard the occasional door opening or rattle in the kitchen for the rest of the afternoon.

The closing sequence of the latest episode Hanbin had not really been watching was just starting up when the maknae finally made an appearance. He had two cups of tea balanced in his hands and several biscuits stuffed in his mouth. As the other settled them on the table in front of the sofa and sat down without a sound Hanbin watched him expectantly.

Having calmed down considerably as he sat on his own in the dim room, swinging between nearly swearing through the pain in his nose and crying his heart out at how terrible everything felt, Hanbin was ready for some attention. So when Chanwoo arrived with the proverbial olive branch he should have been mature enough to apologise and move on but Hanbin was embarrassed and stubborn and he remained glued to the screen instead.

They sat side by side, both staring straight ahead for a while longer; the only sound was the crinkle of plastic from Hanbin's ice pack and his leg started bouncing in discomfort.

"Hyung, do you ever feel broken?"

"What?" The whispered question took Hanbin completely by surprise and he dropped the ice pack from his face to fully scrutinise the Alpha.

Chanwoo sighed patiently and reached out to move Hanbin's hand back up to his face; positioning the ice pack back in its place carefully so as not to cause anymore pain. Hanbin watched Chanwoo's face intently as the other fussed around him before leaning back again.

"You need to keep the ice on it, Hyung, or the swelling will get worse."

"What did you mean just now?" Hanbin batted Chanwoo's hands away and shifted forward, completely focused on the other boy.

"I know I'm not the one you want right now; I can't help you like the others can but… is… is there something I  _ can _ do?"

"Channie, I didn't mean it earlier. I was just-"

"Don't worry, Hyung, I know it's true. The others they could… but I can't; I just get uncomfortable and then make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. None of that makes you broken, Chanu-ya, it just makes you different and different is good."

"It's not good now. It just makes me useless. Everyone knows that physical affection is vital in a healthy pack and I- I can't."

Hanbin watched the other boy sadly, the sloped shoulders and hands wringing self-consciously in his lap so far away from the noisy menace Hanbin usually doted on. Hanbin mentally slapped himself, he had been so distracted with his own self-made misery that he had neglected to notice how his packmate was struggling. Was he really that bad, that he had missed Jiwon, YunHyeong and now Chanwoo as well, not even mentioning DongHyuk's problems, all because he was so self-absorbed?

A memory surfaced in his mind of the first time Hanbin had helped the Alpha through a rut. The youngest Alpha had only just matured when he arrived at the studio for the survival show. As a result, Hanbin had been extremely sensitive to the newly presented hormones that clung to the youngest; so when his first rut started Hanbin had been ready. Chanwoo, however, was not.

They had spent three extremely awkward ruts together, Chanwoo refusing help or even allowing Hanbin to touch him, before he finally had the courage to confess to Hanbin. It had been a relief as much as anything to find out Chanwoo was demisexual and not just rejecting his advances as Hanbin had feared.

After that, it had felt like everything had fallen into place and the seasonal ruts became a safe space for them both. Away from the others, Chanwoo could express what he needed and not have to pretend to be a knothead or feign disinterest in a lowly Beta.

It was also nice for Hanbin because, as they grew more comfortable and Chanwoo began to develop an emotional attachment, things started to heat up. The few days they spent together were certainly never boring. Hanbin had helped Chanwoo through a rut with cuddles, mutual masturbation, pretending to be asleep so Chanwoo could jerk off in secret, and many, many dildos - a live show apparently being one of the things the younger was definitely interested in. Most recently, when they were both comfortable, they had even made some successful attempts at sex. Unfortunately, it left little time for talking and Chanwoo was reluctant to broach the subject outside of their safe bubble.

Hanbin had known Chanwoo felt self-conscious of his sexuality but he hadn't realised he felt flawed by something that was a part of him. The thought cut Hanbin deep as he realised how similar their respective silent struggles had been. If he had just tired to talk to Chanwoo maybe things could have been different. Instead the incredible boy in front of him went around believing he was nothing better than a backup option.

"Chanwoo, listen to me." Hanbin spoke softly and reached out to still Chanwoo's restless fingers. "You are exactly what I needed right now. No one but  _ you _ would have done."

"You don't have to lie to protect me now, Hyung." Chanwoo sniffed.

"I'm not. Look at me, man, do I look like I'm up to several rounds in the sack with Junhoe or Jiwon right now?"

"No…" Chanwoo replied reluctantly. "But-"

"But nothing. I needed someone to stay with me and give me space so I could get my head out of my ass and stop being a dick."

"You were being a dick."

"A colossal dick." Hanbin chuckled, happy to see Chanwoo grin back at him. "Thanks."

"Of course. I couldn't leave you anyway in case you did have a head injury and you  _ died _ or something."

"That would have sucked."

"Yeah."

They sat in silence again but it was a companionable quiet instead of the stand off it had previously been. Hanbin pulled the ice pack away from his face and wiggled his nose around a little to check the pain and sensation before dropping the pack onto the table.

"I'm sorry, Chanu-ya. I really didn't mean what I said."

"I know, Hyung. You were obviously stressed; anyone could see that."

Hanbin bit his lip and pushed the sight of JinHwan walking away out of his mind and instead focused on the Alpha beside him who was selflessly offering comfort.

"Channie~" He whined coyly and fluttered his eyes. "I'm still stressed now…"

Chanwoo huffed but lifted his arm and turned sideways so he could life his legs up onto the sofa. Hanbin beamed at the other boy when Chanwoo nodded to his lap and gestured him closer. Settling on Chanwoo's broad chest, Hanbin hummed in contentment and nearly started to rub his face along the others muscles but caught himself in time and gingerly laid his head down.

"Perfect." Hanbin purred as he wiggled down a bit to get more comfortable.

"If you say so." Chanwoo muttered. "To me you're just heavy."

"I'll show you  _ heavy _ ." Hanbin faux growled and punched Chanwoo weakly in the shoulder.

They both laughed at Hanbin's pathetic attempt and Chanwoo let his arms rest loosely around Hanbin's back as they lay together. It felt nice after all the craziness that has been happening and Hanbin soon felt himself being lulled to sleep by Chanwoo's pounding heart.

Just as he was about to doze off completely, Chanwoo spoke up again; staring up at the ceiling.

"Hey, Hyung?"

"Yeah?" Hanbin grunted.

"When you were… when it happened… at Weekly Idol, I mean, was it- was it when I let you leave on your own; after I… after I... hit you?"

"You know it wasn't. You got to me in time." Hanbin swallowed, he hadn't talked to anyone about it yet and the words clogged in his throat.

"But if I had been a second later, I could have missed you. It could have happened."

"But it didn't." Hanbin insisted.

"Why does that matter. It happened anyway; even with four Alphas looking out for you. Why weren't we enough? Why does shit like that even happen?"

"I-" Hanbin paused, he didn't have the answers to Chanwoo's questions and, perhaps, no one did. "I don't know, but I do know it's not your fault. It's no one's fault but the hosts."

"If I ever see them again I'll-"

"Enough, Chanwoo. I don't want to talk about this anymore. I just want to sleep."

They fell into silence again until Chanwoo spewed another question; making Hanbin groan at the mischievous note in his voice.

"So… you forgave Jiwon pretty quick? Something going on there that I should know about?"

"Chanwoo? Sleep."

"Right, sorry."

A hush fell over the room again but Chanwoo was restless beneath Hanbin's cheek and the air seemed charged with energy.

"Chanwoo." Hanbin warned the other sternly.

"I'm sorry, but Jiwon Hyung?  _ Seriously _ ?" Chanwoo burst out laughing.

"Right! That's it."

Hanbin dug his hands into Chanwoo's sides and started mercilessly tickling. Chanwoo started bucking underneath Hanbin's weight in an attempt to dislodge him but Hanbin clamped his thighs down. Contining to torture the Alpha until his gasping squeals echoed down the hallway.


	19. Can be put back together again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, we're finally back and ready to post. Some things happened which just weren't writing friendly and it took a while but we back. Apparently I just needed to get pissed off enough with someone to realised they don't matter and I should do what I want. Anyways... Ignore me.  
> I especially what to thank Calmed_By_Chaos for your support and concern during my little disapearance. It really means a lot and I hope you are doing good too :)  
> Another massive thank you to @sugr_n_spic_ on twitter for being my beta for this. They are awesome and really doing wonders for my terrible English so please give them love. xxx  
> Please leave a kudo if u enjoy the chapter and a comment with anything you wanna chat about. I'd love to hear what you think so far and what you see going forward.  
> I hope you enjoy x

Jiwon's heart was pounding so hard he could feel it pushing against his ribs and echoing around his head. His pack needed him, had asked for him, but Hanbin was in his arms and Jiwon wasn't sure he was strong enough to let go. The static buzzing around his senses clouded everything around him and he struggled to understand the screaming in his head.

Breathing was suddenly a laborious task that Jiwon's body seemed to have forgotten, but breathing in Hanbin's scent? That felt like second nature; so Jiwon breathed.

Hanbin's scent was different, stronger, as Jiwon held their bodies together. Jiwon wondered what could have caused the change, he had noticed it first while they were in bed that morning, it was strong and actually held a scent in a way Jiwon had never experienced before - had he never noticed or had it never been there before? Either way, the sweet scent was quickly becoming an addiction for Jiwon and it made him want to press into Hanbin's neck and bite down over the sensitive spot at the back of the Beta's neck.

“-should go.”

The soft murmur, so resigned and hesitant that Jiwon felt his gut clench, seemed to ring in his ears and dance across his skin. The euphoria of having Hanbin back and close to him fizzled away as the Beta avoided Jiwon’s insistent gaze and leaned his shoulders back; almost appearing to resent the tight hold.

Jiwon scrunched his face as he tried to think clearly. Resentment wasn’t entirely right but the retreating adrenaline and fine tremor in his muscles stole all reasoning beyond the knowledge he shouldn’t leave Hanbin, _couldn’t_ leave Hanbin, and Jiwon gave into the instinct.

Something just felt wrong, tense and fragile and _wrong_ , and Jiwon desperately wanted to steal Hanbin away to bundle him up in a nest all of their own. He needed Hanbin, needed the other with him to fight away the panic and shame that were still hovering in the horizon; blocking out everything in Jiwon’s world except for the soothing presence held against him.

Needed him to breathe.

“But Bin, I can’t-” The words were spilling from his lips before Jiwon even knew what he was trying to articulate and he cut himself off with a snap of his jaw.

The thought of what he wanted, driven by instinct and emotion, was too huge and unreachable that Jiwon couldn’t voice it out loud.

_Bin, I can't leave you._ His mind urged him to add more but Jiwon wasn't ready to admit, to explain, why his longing for the other man was so strong.

Looking down at Hanbin’s bowed head, Jiwon felt the hot sting of more tears in his eyes as he watched the other with a new respect. Had Hanbin felt this incessant tug in his body all the time? The feeling so powerful it felt as though his body was trying to pull itself off its feet to get closer to the other man; so demanding it wiped every other desire from his mind.

Every desire except Hanbin.

Suddenly, Jiwon realised the other was talking again, so soft and mellow it could barely pierce the shrill cries of his own runaway thoughts, and Jiwon leaned in to try and catch what the Beta was saying.

“-mean more if it came from you.” Hanbin spoke gently, it almost sounded calm but Jiwon could easily pick up the shakiness underneath the too precise enunciation, and _still_ Hanbin wouldn’t meet Jiwon’s eye. “You’ll have to talk to him sometime. Explain it to him now so he doesn’t jump to any conclusions on his own.”

Hanbin’s words sounded like a warning, one borne from experience, and Jiwon couldn’t bring himself to think about the pain his past actions must have caused. A shiver ran down the Alpha’s spine at the thought and a deep concern settled in his heart.

**_'He'd be better off without you.'_ **

He wasn’t foolish enough to believe Hanbin had forgiven him, not even close, so the fact that the Beta would want to be close with him was painfully telling. It worried Jiwon how little Hanbin must care for himself if he wanted to engage, and had wanted to engage for a long time, with an aggressive and callous Alpha.

**_'You couldn't do anything right by him.'_ **

The confession in the bathroom and the heated kiss afterwards floated through Jiwon’s head and he cursed himself for his words at the time. How much had Jiwon's reluctance hurt the younger and made him feel insignificant, lacking?

**_'Hanbin isn't yours.'_ **

Hanbin had opened up, reluctantly and probably to a very limited degree, but he had given more than Jiwon had. At the time, Jiwon had thought he was protecting Hanbin but now he could see it was the other way around; it had always been the other way around.

**_'Not mine.'_ **

There was so much more to the man in front of him, so much more strength and wisdom and love than Jiwon could fully comprehend. So much that he felt something shift in his chest as he inhaled the other’s scent, pulling him closer. A tingling began to spread from all the places he was touching Hanbin and suddenly the thought of leaving, even to help a hurting member of his pack, made Jiwon feel sick.

**_'Not mine.'_ **

“Wh-what if I don’t want to leave you? What if I _can’t_?”

Jiwon desperately wanted Hanbin to understand; a small nagging sensation starting up in his mind as it pushed the fog away in its urgency to be recognised and acted upon. Jiwon wanted to dig his fingers in and anchor the younger to him but instead he simply pulled in heaving breaths of Hanbin's scent to try and ground himself.

“-wonnie…” Hanbin pushed at Jiwon’s shoulders, leaning away even more and shuffling his feet as he looked down at the floor, and Jiwon nearly collapsed from the rejection. The deliberate move suddenly making Hanbin’s earlier avoidance of his hold agonising as it had clearly been entirely by reflex and the knowledge dug into Jiwon’s chest; scratching mercilessly at the exposed and vulnerable flesh. “I don’t want you to go, but you need to.”

Again the sounds leaving Hanbin’s mouth appeared stoic but the hollowness beneath them was all Jiwon could hear. Jiwon felt a flush of anger spread through his body but it was quickly chased away by pain and concern for his packmate. Hanbin had every reason to reject him but there was something more to the slow slide of Hanbin's fingers as they pulled back; digging into Jiwon's arms slightly as if Hanbin had to force himself to drag them away.

**_'Not mine.'_ **

Jiwon wanted to reach out and snap Hanbin back to his chest and hold the man there forever. He never wanted to feel the dreadful pinpricks dancing over his skin, or the tightening grip on his heart as the bone deep pulling tried to rip the muscle from his chest, ever again. Jiwon had an instinctive awareness that it was his own fault the feeling was so intense, as if his own body was fighting his cowardly mind, and he hoped Hanbin didn't experience anything similar - not that he would know if he did, Hanbin was a master at hiding.

**_'Not_** **_mine_** **.'**

Another hurt, more ugly and raw than the last, reared its head in Jiwon's chest and his fingers dug into the palm of his hand as he fought against the urge to just give in.

Hanbin had _lied_.

Hanbin had lied _to_ him; lied _about_ him; lied to _protect_ him.

Hanbin had lied as easily as breathing and Jiwon would have been none the wiser if JinHwan hadn't known differently. The action had been so natural and Jiwon wondered how many times Hanbin had practised to become so deceptive. Whatever the number, it would be far too many in Jiwon's opinion and the idea of Hanbin using the words as a defense unsettled the Alpha.

**_'Not mine.'_ **

If Hanbin saw bending the truth as protection it was only logical to assume that he would lie to save himself too. Jiwon's mind was drawn back to the bathroom once again and Hanbin's words.

Were they lies? Were they simply self preservation on Hanbin's part?

Jiwon found himself torn between what he wanted the answer to be. On the one hand, he never wanted Hanbin to feel like he had to protect himself from Jiwon, but on the other, he hoped Hanbin hadn't felt attracted to how he was before - Hanbin deserved so much better than that.

**_'Not mine.'_ **

Hanbin, and Hanbin alone, had kept it together during Jiwon's panic filled memories of the last few minutes. The Beta had guided and soothed; even forgetting his own injury in his focus. The blood had darkened as it dried beneath his nose, smeared slightly where he had pressed into Jiwon's embrace.

How much would Hanbin have to bleed for his pack? What exactly would Hanbin be willing to put up with, to forget about, if it meant protecting his pack? And it was _his_ pack, Jiwon realised, they were all, unknowingly, so intricately bonded to the Beta in ways that were indescribable.

However, as the thought solidified in his mind, Jiwon realised it wasn't a sudden revelation. It has always been there - hovering in the back of his consciousness. A knot of guilt rose in his throat.

The others had always crowded around Hanbin, even without realising it; they had followed his leadership- reluctantly but they _had_ followed- and Jiwon had been jealous and angry. Hanbin, a Beta, had been chosen to lead over him; he was liked better by the pack, and held a power over Jiwon's mind. It had driven him crazy but now the other man was making him insane for a different reason entirely.

**_'Not mine.'_ **

"I want to be here for you. I'll stay, if you need me." The words felt useless on his tongue, all at once far too vague and, at the same time, everything he needed to say.

"-know, my Alpha." Jiwon dragged in a sharp breath as the soft words blew through his feeble defences and the mantra in his head stuttered for a moment before going silent. "But you have to go after them. They're your pack and they're broken."

"What about you? Are you my pack?" _Or is he something more?_ Jiwon's self conscious supplied helpfully; making Jiwon's pounding head hurt even more, the constant exchange of thoughts and emotions racing through his mind, blaring and harsh.

**_Not mine. Not mine. Notminenotminenotmine-_ **

"We can talk when you're done. Right now though, you need to fix this; there's no other option."

Jiwon looked desperately around the room to try and find a reason, any reason, to stay. YunHyeong looked nervous as he stood with one foot out the door, Jinhwan appeared disinterested as he waited with folded arms and a raised eyebrow, but it was Chanwoo that finally jolted Jiwon back to reality and it felt like his feet touched the ground again.

Of course he had to go. This was his pack, but still there was a tightness in his chest. If he had been a more selfish man, if this had happened even last week, Jiwon was sure he wouldn't have been able to leave, but things were different now. Not only did his pack need him but Hanbin had told him to go.

This _was_ the only option. Jiwon knew this was the time to prove that he was more than a knothead Alpha. Hanbin had told him to go; had told him he was alright and would be fine without him, if Jiwon stayed it would seem as though he didn't trust and respect Hanbin's decision. As much as he wanted to stay, and as much as Hanbin clearly hated the words he had to say, Jiwon knew he had to go and it felt like something clicked in his head.

**_'Not mine.'_ **

_But I'm yours. I'm yours, Bin-a, completely and utterly yours._

Turning back to the other man, Jiwon bit the inside of his lip to keep his resolve. Hanbin was staring blankly down at the floor but at the movement of Jiwon's head the Beta seemed to nod before stepping away on shaking legs. It took every ounce of self control for Jiwon to remain standing as the Beta shrunk away- both of them fully aware Jiwon had made the only possible decision. They were a part of something bigger than themselves.

"Make sure you take care of your nose." The words felt lame and shallow as Jiwon spoke them but he still couldn't force his frozen feet to move.

"I will. I'll be fine."

Jiwon snapped his mouth shut and grit his teeth hard to stop himself from calling Hanbin out on another lie. Instead he turned to the maknae, still stood next to the mirrors and _still_ glaring daggers, and nearly cursed himself for his primitive Alpha brain taking over. He was looking to Chanwoo, the only Alpha left, to protect and defend the other two despite neither needing it and that natural inclination annoyed him.

JinHwan and Hanbin could probably defend themselves better than anyone else Jiwon knew but he still felt uneasy leaving them alone and, in his mind, unprotected. Chanwoo, however, seemed to pick up his unspoken message and frowned but nodded sagely. The single movement of his head set Jiwon's nerves at ease and it felt as though a third lung had grown in his chest as he breathed deeply for the first time since the accident.

Nodding in reply, Jiwon moved the sharp pain of his teeth round to his lips as he pulled his mouth into a mechanical smile. Hanbin was starting to shake in minute tremors all along his body and Jiwon knew he had to leave right then or he wouldn't be able to tear himself away.

Steering his feet towards the door, Jiwon dragged in deep breathes through his nose and it thrilled him that Hanbin's scent still lingered on his clothes. YunHyeong's eyes lit up as he approached and Jiwon flinched at the hand that reached towards him but the calming pheromones YunHyeong released settled his heart almost immediately. Jiwon wasn't proud of the way he slumped against the other Alpha's side, but once there he could feel himself giving in.

YunHyeong had always had an extremely strong presence and Alpha power but Jiwon had never found himself taking comfort from the other man in the way he did then. YunHyeong's arm wrapped around Jiwon's shoulders and pulled them even closer together; his other hand coming up to pat Jiwon's chest just above his heart. The comforting feelings swirling through his limbs were so eerily familiar to the way Hanbin affected him that Jiwon almost turned back to return to the real thing but YunHyeong gripped him tighter and pulled him through the door.

"You look back now and we both know you're not going to leave." YunHyeong breathed in Jiwon's hair and Jiwon choked back a whine as the tingles spread over his body in intense bursts of pain. "Just keeping putting one foot in front of the other; I've got you."

"Hyung, I-"

"Come on."

Jiwon's knees nearly buckled as they moved through the doorway and he collapsed fully into YunHyeong's waiting arms. The steadiness of his Hyung after the older had completely shut down in the practice room took Jiwon by surprise; they were almost too steady but the pain in his chest overwhelmed his curiosity almost instantly.

"Yun- I can't-"

"It will get easier when we get further away. Just breathe through it," YunHyeong coaxed, hauling Jiwon unceremoniously down the hallway.

Jiwon would have questioned YunHyeong's knowledge on what was happening to him but the hollaring in his head to turn the _fuck_ around stopped all thought. However, as they walked Jiwon found YunHyeong's words did indeed come true. Gathering his scattered mind, Jiwon tried to run through a list of calming things as they continued.

At first he assumed they were aimlessly wandering the halls but soon enough he picked up on the distinct scent of anger and aggression in the air, slowly growing stronger. The abrasive smells mixed with the lingering memory of Hanbin's blood and left Jiwon feeling nauseated as they moved closer.

"How are you doing now, Jiwon-a?" YunHyeong asked quietly, his head swiveling around as if trying to catch a glimpse of their wayward pack members in the distance.

"Better, but Hyung how did you-"

"Best we don't talk about that right now." YunHyeong stopped walking and held Jiwon by his shoulder to talk directly to him. "It won't help anyone at this moment in time; it might make things worse again. Bin said you would talk when you finished here, so let's finish it. Okay?"

_What the hell?_

"Okay?" YunHyeong pressed after Jiwon stayed silent for a little too long.

"Okay." Jiwon agreed, less because he agreed and more because he was too confused to argue back.

"Good, now let's-"

Before YunHyeong could continue the sounds of running feet came from down the hallway and both Alpha's turned in time to see Rosé skid around the corner. She paused for a moment when she spotted them before tearing down the corridor towards them, hair tangled and streaming behind her.

"What took you so long?" Rose shouted, although her voice was breathy from the desperate sprint.

"We had our own problems to deal with." YunHyeong explained calmly, not even phased by Rosé's lack of honorifics. "We came as soon as we could."

"Well I'm pretty sure a shit crazy Alpha is also you damn problem."

"We're here now." Jiwon interjected, feeling guiltily knowing full well he was the 'problem' that had kept them. "What's going on?"

"What's going on?" Rosé rounded on Jiwon her eyes flaring with anger. "Junhoe is out of his mind and Seunghoon Hyung is hurt, I don't know how bad, and Lisa went in there - like an _idiot-_ and I swear if you don't-"

"SeungHoon is hurt?" Jiwon's gaze snapped to YunHyeong as the older strangled out the words.

"Yeah, his face was-" Rosé sucked in a breath and shook her head violently as if to clear it from the image. "Well let's just say I'm not going to be the one to explain that to Jinwoo."

"Fuck! Then why are we still here? Let's go." Jiwon began to run back down the way Rosé had emerged from, pausing only to let her take over the lead, and then they were speeding down the halls; the scent of anger growing stronger with each step.

They had just passed the fire door on the stairwell after descending three flights, and Jiwon was almost impressed with how far the two Alphas had managed to move Junhoe, when the first shouts became audible. The screams and yelling were coming from several people but all of them were desperate and angry as the cut through the building.

"Christ," Jiwon muttered to himself as Rosé ushered them towards the noise.

Jiwon smelled the others before he saw them but it was enough to speed his steps up either way. The corridor was bathed in pheromones of all types and it was all overridden with the metallic tang of fresh blood. The yelling from another practice room was almost deafening but the thick walls made any words indistinguishable from the general roar.

"Jennie, I found them. Well… some of them." Rosé announced as she walked up to her bandmate.

Jiwon hung back to watch the exchange, partly because of the strong scent of blood but mostly because of the hostile and defensive auras the two Alphas gave off. Jennie was supporting Seunghoon as he lay on the floor in a slump; cleaning up some nasty scratches along his face, neck and exposed shoulder where his shirt was torn. She was dutifully dabbing a cotton ball along the ragged edges of his skin but it was clear the damage was far more severe than a training room med kit could deal with; a dark crimson soaking through the thin fabric over Seunghoon's chest.

"Shit, Hyung, are you okay?" Jiwon finally got his voice to work and he stepped forwards.

"You-" Seunghoon moved to lunge forward but Jennie and Rosé caught him before he could struggle to his feet. "You _bastard,_ Kim Jiwon."

"Lie back down you, Hyung. If you have a head or neck injury you could make it worse."

"Worse?" YunHyeong asked, looking just as shell-shocked as Jiwon felt. "Junhoe did this?"

"Yeah, but I don't blame him." SeungHoon grunted as he shifted on the carpet; wincing as he moved and pressed a hand to his head. "Sounds like he had a _very_ good reason to me."

All eyes on the hallway swivelled to Jiwon and he gulped under the resentful stares. Looking briefly at YunHyeong, he received a nod to continue and Jiwon licked his lips before starting to talk.

"How much do you know?" He asked cautiously, still very aware that the situation was very sensitive to Hanbin and, therefore, not his story to tell.

"Everything." Jennie snorted. "Junhoe didn't exactly whisper."

"Okay, well…" Jiwon cleared his throat again and try to stop himself from hunching in on himself. "I just saw blood and then, I guess I-"

"No, not about that." SeungHoon grunted. "About Hanbin being fucking _raped_ and **_you_ ** being the one to allow it."

"I- I- I…" Jiwon lost the fight against his body and he hung his head in shame. "I got angry and I left him alone."

"You got angry?" Seunghoon's quiet voice sent a chill through Jiwon's body at the deadliness of the Alpha's fury.

"Yes, I… I just…"

"You got angry? Angry enough to completely ignore all of the warnings you were given, not to mention the ones I gave you personally, and leave him alone with those monsters? What could you possibly have been so angry about, that you forgot how to protect-?" SeungHoon cut off into harsh coughing and Jennie helped to stabilise his neck while Rosé wiped blood from his lips.

"Hyung, I think you need to rest." Rosé implored as he reached for another tissue to clean up the blood, discarding the soaked red one.

"No, I need him to explain." SeungHoon croaked and batted the others' hands away. "I need to know if he thought because Hanbin is a Beta this doesn't matter. Do you think you're better than them, Jiwon? Huh?"

"No, Hyung."

"You don't? So you don't think Hanbin is below you? You don't look down on Jinwoo? So help me, if I find out anything else has happened because of you."

"I know, Hyung. Trust me, I know. It's my deepest regret."

"So why did you do it?" This time it was Jennie that spoke, still pinning Seunghoon down with all of her strength, but her words were just as menacing.

"I- I got mad because Hanbin was being praised." Jiwon's admission was barely audible as the Alpha himself couldn't believe the words that left his lips.

"But you were always proud of the music he made." YunHyeong frowned. "You were happy when Hanbin did well."

"I didn't like the attention they gave him." Jiwon tried to defend himself.

"So were you pissed off or were you jealous?" SeungHoon growled suspiciously.

"No I wasn't-"

"Then what?"

"I don't-"

"Why did you get angry, Jiwon?"

"I got angry because I was scared Hanbin would say yes to them." Jiwon finally yelled out against the barrage of questions.

"Why would you think that?" YunHyeong's gentle question filtered into Jiwon's ears and he turned desperately towards his Hyung; needing him to understand.

"All my life I've heard about Beta's and how promiscuous they are; how all they want is sex. I've seen Hanbin acting like that, coming back to the dorm at all hours smelling of everyone and anyone. They started talking about rumours they'd heard - probably all fake- and I just lost it."

"Bullshit." SeungHoon scoffed.

"It's not." Jiwon insisted. "It's what I believed... back then I did anyway..."

"Go on." YunHyeong gripped Jiwon's shoulder and Jiwon gazed into the warm eyes of his packmate.

"I thought Hanbin would say yes and I couldn't bare to see it. They seemed so sure of what a Beta would want. They talked about training and giving them when they needed. I couldn't bare to see him give something so precious to a stranger when I could never share it with him myself. I wanted-"

"You wanted what?" Rosé whispered.

"I wanted… I want to share that kind of intimacy with him but I- I was always afraid I would go too far if I had the chance."

"Too far?" SeungHoon cocked his head in thought before his eyes widened in understanding. "You've been fighting it?"

"I was an idiot."

"That goes without saying." SeungHoon spoke almost kindly and he let his head fall back; eyes closed. "No wonder. You're going to need to fix it soon or things will get worse."

"Fix it? What do you-?"

Before Jiwon could finish a loud crash sounded from the practise room and everyone's heads whipped around to face the closed door. SeungHoon broke the tense silence with a cough before ordering them to move.

"Go, _go_! It's why you're here, he's your pack."

"But what about you, Hyung?" YunHyeong asked in concern despite being halfway to the door already.

"Don't worry about me, Jennie already called the medical staff. Now, go and help June; he needs you."

Jiwon nodded to SeungHoon and Jennie as he passed, Rosé hot on his heels as he ran, and he pushed away the confusion at the Alpha's words in favour of focusing on Junhoe.

Crashing into the room, Jiwon wasn't entirely sure what he had been expecting but it wasn't a broken wall mirror and Lisa holding Junhoe to the floor amongst the broken shards in a choke hold. Both Alpha's were growling at each other while Minho and Jisoo hovered that the edge of the shattered glass field watching carefully.

"You stay down and you submit to me." Lisa growled as she tightened her grip for a few seconds before releasing. "I'm stronger than you and I won't let you hurt anyone else."

"Junhoe." YunHyeong called out as he charged forward and the younger man's head snapped towards the voice.

At first, Junhoe's expression was twisted with rage as the thrashed against Lisa's hold but as soon as his noticed YunHyeong he went still and his eyes widened.

"Hyung?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Ju-ne, I'm here; you can stop now. You've done your job and the pack is all safe, so please calm down."

"Hyung-" Junhoe's voice cracked and he reached out a shaking hand toward YunHyeong as he eyes began to fill with tears.

YunHyeong sprang forwards, disregarding the sharp glass scattered on the floor, and gathered Jubhoe into his arms. Lisa knelt back on her heels to allow the embrace and patted YunHyeong on the shoulder before moving away to join Jisoo outside of the ring, still alert and primed if anything were to happen again.

Jiwon watched with a pang of sadness at how well YunHyeong acted as the Pack Alpha; the other was able to calm Junhoe down immediately as he sat whispering reassurances to the younger. Jiwon tried to remember if he had ever done something like that but he came up blank. Just how broken had the pack become without him even realising?

The two Alphas stayed tangled together for a long time until Junhoe's shuddering breaths evened out and he was finally able to lift his head from YunHyeong's neck. As Junhoe looked around, Jiwon knew the exact moment the youngest Alpha spotted him.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Junhoe asked accusingly.

"Jiwon wanted to explain what happened." YunHyeong explained.

"Why should I listen to him? To anything he has to say?"

"Because Hanbin-a wanted this to happen. He wants the fighting to stop."

"Hanbin wants- is he okay?"

"Yes, he's fine." YunHyeong squeezed Junhoe tighter with his words but Junhoe still looked panicked. "We can go and find him soon enough but you have to deal with this first."

The words were hauntingly similar to what Jiwon had heard himself multiple times since everything started. It had to be dealt with, he knew that, it all came back to sorting this rift in their pack and nothing else could move forward without it. Taking a deep breath, Jiwon stepped forward.

"Please just listen to what I have to say. You don't have to talk or agree, but please, just listen… for Hanbin."

Junhoe paused for a few moments before nodding and standing up with some assistance from YunHyeong. Jiwon noticed the faint scratches and bruises that were already starting to form dotted around Junhoe's exposed skin and he swallowed past the guilt.

"Explain then." Junhoe spoke curtly and glared Jiwon down.

Jiwon recounted what he had said to the others earlier, adding a few more apologies into the mix, and found he could say the words much easier having already worked through the mess of his mind to find them. His actions, though still abominable, were explained in his mind and Jiwon could clearly see his mistakes but- more importantly- he could also see how to fix them.

Once he had finished explaining, Junhoe was paler than before but he had lost the aggression and hatred in his body; instead he leaned heavily into YunHyeong's body and hugged himself for support. The room was silent for a few moments while Junhoe seemed to take in the words and then raise his head to speak.

"I hurt him that day too." They weren't the words Jiwon had been expecting and he frowned at Junhoe. "I got mad and I choked him. I got mad, just like you, only I had the pack around to help me and stop it from going too far; you didn't. That doesn't excuse what you did - and you better make it up to Hanbin - but I understand. We both better make it up to him."

"I will, Junhoe. I'd give him everything if I could."

"Why are you telling me that? I'm not the target of your affections, tell Bin that." Junhoe tried to joke but it fell flat and awkward in the room. Everyone shuffled slightly at the stiff tension and Jiwon desperately wanted the ground to swallow him whole.

"You know, I used to think you were exactly how an Alpha should be." Junhoe spoke again, breaking the silence.

"What?" Jiwon questioned.

"It seems silly now, especially since I see how close we all were to breaking, but I used to look at you and see everything my parents wanted in an Alpha child; I wanted to be you."

"I was a disaster, Junhoe."

"I know you were, Jiwon Hyung, but that didn't stop me from idolising you. When we were trainees I would follow you around and copy how you interacted with others." Junhoe smiled to himself and shook his head. "It seemed so stupid now, but at the time I just wanted you to see me as strong. I thought if you, one of the strongest Alphas in the company, thought I was good enough then maybe my parents would too."

"You are good enough." YunHyeong bumped his nose against Junhoe's cheek and patted his arm. "More than that, you're amazing."

"Thanks Hyung; I hope you're right. I know I wasn't anything close back then, I was just violent and angry because that's all I knew, all I saw Jiwon doing, but I think I can be better now."

"Junhoe… I didn't even know-" Jiwon's mind reeled at Junhoe's confession. He had caused such behaviour? Indirectly been responsible for even more hurt to Hanbin and, possibly, others.

"I know you didn't, Hyung - how could you?" Junhoe cut through his spiraling thoughts. "I never told you I felt that way. My actions were my own and I'm responsible for them. I was violent and a bully and it makes perfect sense to me why you lost control back there thinking I hurt Hanbin on purpose, because in the past I probably would have."

"I'm still sorry that I attacked you like that."

"I'm sorry too and- about what I said… you know none of that is true, right?" Jiwon could feel Junhoe's intense stare on his face and he nodded quickly before shaking his head. "Well, they weren't true. I was talking out my ass because I was hurt at seeing how toxic my image of you had been all these years; because I had to accept that I was wrong myself and I was too prideful."

"You're a good Pack Alpha, Jiwon," Minho added quietly. "You just have to act like it."

"And it helps that Hanbin goes slightly crazy over you." Lisa added with a smirk.

"What?" Jiwon asked, a blush appearing on his cheeks at her words.

"Sometimes I worry about you." YunHyeong chuckled. "How about I explain later, for now let's get away from this mess and get you two cleaned up."

Everyone murmured in agreement and headed towards the door. Lisa had just reached out for the handle when it swing open; making them all jump.

"Oh sorry." Jennie shuttered, equally surprised to find them all standing there. "The medical staff are here so if you need anything seen to they can have a quick look."

"I think we're all okay." Jisoo acknowledged with a smiled and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Good. SeungHoon might be more serious than we thought." Jennie muttered darkly.

"SeungHoon Hyung is badly hurt?" Junhoe's voice shrunk in size as his shame choked him so Jiwon reached out to grasp his hand comfortingly.

"He'll survive. Which is more than can be said for you when Jinwoo gets here."

"Jennie, don't stress him out anymore. Poor guy's been through enough today," Minho scolded.

"Haven't we all." Jennie shrugged. "But there was actually something else. JinHwan Hyung and DongHyuk Sunbae are in the room next door."

"Are they alright?" YunHyeong asked and Jennie gave him this _look_ in reply that clearly demonstrated how stupid a question it was. "Right, do you mind if we…"

"Go and see to your pack." Minho clapped YunHyeong on the back as he passed. "I have my own idiot Alpha and stressed out Beta to look after now."

"We'll be leaving as well," Rosé added. "Please, look after yourselves."

"We will." YunHyeong called after them and they were left alone in the practise room.

Without talking, they all made their way slowly to the next door room, a small space often used for quiet times or streaming with fans. It was daunting to stand in front of the door as once again Jiwon found himself completely unsure as to what would be there on the other side. How many times could he go through this worry before it finally destroyed him for good?

This could never happen again, Jiwon vowed to himself. From here they could only get better, and Jiwon wouldn't rest until they were whole and healed.

YunHyeong looked around that them before reaching out to grip the handle and push it down. The door opened inwards to reveal the small room, still and quiet and the hallway light made reaching shadow fingers spread across the wall.

"Jinani?" YunHyeong called into the dim room.

"We're here. You can turn the lights on."

Junhoe reached out to the wall and flipped the switch bringing the room into a sharp focus that Jiwon wishes he couldn't see. JinHwan was huddled into the furthest corner with DongHyuk folded into his lap. The youngest Omega was visibly shaking and the smothered sounds of his crying came from where his face was buried against JinHwan's chest.

The three Alphas stood in a semi circle facing the two cowering Omegas, not wanting to intrude on DongHyuk's space while he was still so upset, and shuffled their feet awkwardly. JinHwan looked up to meet their gazes but quickly turned back to the bundle in his arms.

JinHwan was rocking gently and shushing DongHyuk's tears as he ran a hand through his hair. The room was filled with the Omega's scent and pheromones as DongHyuk's misery spilled out and JinHwan tried to calm him. Jiwon noticed the pheromones slowly growing in strength as DongHyuk's cries crescendoed and he wondered why they felt different.

Usually when the pack was together and someone was releasing comforting pheromones the effect was instantaneous but, while Jiwon could feel himself slowly relaxing, it was nothing compared to normal. The scent JinHwan released felt meager and hollow; like something fundamental was missing from the soothing smells.

"Where are Hanbin and Chanwoo?" Junhoe asked quietly.

The simple question send shards of guilt through Jiwon's body and it felt as though the mirror had shattered all over again; this time embedded itself into his skin instead of the floor. Chanwoo and Hanbin were missing from their pack, they had left them behind so they could fix the pack; bring them all back together, but they were still fractured. Jiwon suddenly couldn't bare to look at the others as they talked and he ducked his head down, unfortunately that put DongHyuk directly in his line of vision and Jiwon couldn't tear himself away from the painful jerking of the younger boy's shoulders.

"They went back to the dorms. They're fine." JinHwan said plainly. Jiwon could tell something was bothering the Omega but he remained quiet as he watched DongHyuk in concern.

"Is he-?" The sound of Jiwon's voice made DongHyuk whimper loudly and his cries turned into rasping wails, and Jiwon cut himself off with a pained exhale.

JinHwan's head snapped up to gaze at Jiwon pityingly before turning to YunHyeong. The two eldest seemed to understand something between themselves as soon as their eyes met and JinHwan nodded down at DongHyuk. YunHyeong pulled his jumper off and moved cautiously towards the others, first laying his hoodie over DongHyuk's shoulder before kneeling down next to him and leaning in.

Jiwon tried not to listen into the quiet murmurs as YunHyeong spoke into DongHyuk's hair, catching JinHwan's hand where it was already resting in the younger boy's hair and threading their fingers together. DongHyuk nodded along to YunHyeong's words and reached out to hold his hand for a moment before finally turning to face the room.

The sight almost made Jiwon recoil as he saw DongHyuk's red and puffy face covered in tears. DongHyuk seemed listless as he twisted in JinHwan's lap, turning only enough so half his face was visible while the rest stayed pressed against his Hyung. The sadness and fear that emanated from the Omega set Jiwon on edge and he wanted to join the other three huddled together.

"Dong-a, Jiwon wants to talk to you and explain what happened." YunHyeong started gently. "You have nothing to be scared of; everyone had calmed down and we're just going to talk."

"I don't want to." DongHyuk mumbled through dry and cracking lips.

"Dong, please if I could just-" Jiwon began to plead with the other, his heart constricting at the possibility of DongHyuk rejecting him.

"I don't want to talk about this. Jinani Hyung explained enough for me to understand and I don't want to hear the rest right now."

"I…" Jiwon looked around at the others who seemed just as lost as he was. "If that's what you want, Dong-a."

"It is." DongHyuk nodded and pulled a tiny bit further away from JinHwan's chest to turn and face Jiwon completely. "I know you didn't mean it and that's enough."

"I'm so sorry, Dongie." Jiwon choked out and he felt tears of relief and guilt starting to build up in his eyes. "I'm so sorry I scared you and that I let you down."

"Me too." Junhoe nodded vigorously. "I lost control and didn't think of how everyone would be affected. I'm sorry I scared you."

"It's okay." DongHyuk's lips twitched in what Jiwon assumed was meant to be a smile but his eyes remained wary and doleful. "I'm sorry too."

"What are you sorry about, buddy?" JinHwan asked carefully, gazing intently down at the other Omega.

"It's not important right now; I don't want to talk about it."

JinHwan nodded and settled back with DongHyuk in his arms. DongHyuk continued to sniff into the silence and each aborted noise tightened around Jiwon's heart even as the scent of pack and familiarity settled in his bones. Jiwon had just settled down so he was resting against Junhoe's side a little bit away from the others, close but not touching, when DongHyuk spoke up.

"Hyung? Would you… could we cuddle? You too, Ju-ne."

"Of course, Dong. Whatever you're comfortable with." Jiwon rushed to agree and scooted forwards so DongHyuk could more or less fall out of JinHwan's arms and into his.

Donghyuk settled easily in Jiwon's lap while his hand lay intertwined with Junhoe's hand. JinHwan and YunHyeong had also repositioned so they were pressed around DongHyuk and each other. The scent and feel of pack and comfort floating through the air was enough to fully settle Jiwon's nerves and the last of his anxious fog finally left his body, making him feel lethargic.

The Omega soon stopped sniffling and shaking as he nuzzled into Jiwon. Deliberately scenting and spreading his scent over each of them as a sign of acceptance and forgiveness that made Jiwon feel warm and tingly. It was a huge relief to have his pack back with him and to know he was a least halfway forgiven.

Jiwon was just about to drift off when DongHyuk shifted in his arms and his head popped up to face Jiwon with a serious expression.

"Hyung?"

"Yeah, Dong-a?"

"Is Hanbin Hyung okay?" DongHyuk ducked his head back down to run his cheek along the ridge of Jiwon's shoulder as he spoke.

"Of course he is; he's with Chanwoo back home at the dorms. Why do you ask?"

"It's not that, I meant…" Donghyuk froze where he was pressed into Jiwon and his hand tightened when it clutched Jiwon's shirt. "I meant, is he okay after what happened at Weekly Idol? Did you talk to him about it?"

Jiwon paused at DongHyuk's words and felt dread spread through him again; killing the fragile hope that things would be easier now but of course nothing could be that simple. Jiwon had spoken with Hanbin but it had mostly been profuse apologies on his part and not really about Hanbin's well being; Jiwon vowed to change that.

"He'll be okay, Dong-a, we'll all make sure of that. We'll make sure he knows he has us to look out for him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hoped you enjoyed the Chapter x sorry for the long wait but we still going through it and I can't promise when the next will be up either.
> 
> Please hit me up on twitter @Giraffaholic1 if you wanna chat between posted or make requests. I'd love to hear from you all so please don't be shy!!!


	20. Not one but two confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ain't time really flying. I can't believe I ignored this for so long but now we're here.  
> Finally, FINALLY, Dong is doing some explaining. - I'm so excited to have written this and get it out there :) hopefully it's not disappointing.
> 
> I want to thank @sugr_n_spic_ for beta reading this chapter. They're always such a great help and it's amazing to see how much they can improve the flow and understanding.
> 
> I really hope you enjoy this chapter - again sorry for the wait, I've not been very well and decided to focus on other stories for a bit .  
> Please leave a comment or kudo of you enjoyed the story. I love hearing from you and sharing thoughts and ideas. If you want to talk some more or request something, then please hit me up on twitter @Giraffaholic1. I'd love to hear from you.  
> I hope you enjoy the chapter x

Hanbin woke up early the next morning and just lay awake, staring up at the ceiling with unseeing eyes, as thoughts raced through his mind. Nothing seemed to solidify as he jumped from worries to solutions and right back to more problems, over and over again. It felt frustratingly hopeless as he turned the ideas around in his head, but— despite the lack of a direction— it also felt as if something had been lifted.

Letting out a deep sigh, Hanbin sat up; grabbed his phone from the bedside table, and slipped out of the bed before padding over to the door and cautiously listening for someone on the hallway. YunHyeong was usually awake the earliest but there didn't seem to be any sounds of movement in the dorms.

Hanbin had heard the others arrive back the night before but had stubbornly remained hidden in ChanWoo's bedroom, the maknae passed out beside him from the high stress and pheromones of the day. Despite the fact he had worked out most of his anger by then, Hanbin was still embarrassed about how childishly he had acted and seeing the others was just a step too far for his capabilities; so instead he had turned over and cuddled back into ChanWoo's side.

Now, in the cold light of the morning, Hanbin regretted that decision. He had left it to stew and no doubt the angry feelings had festered within the others' minds. The thought just made him more nervous - he needed to get out for a little bit; get away.

Heading back to his own room, Hanbin checked his phone and saw several missed call notifications from his home number. Closing the door behind him, Hanbin checked the time and, deciding it wasn't too early, hit the call button. The phone rang for a few moments before it was picked up and childish laughter filtered in from the background before his mother spoke.

" _Good morning, Honey. How are you doing?_ "

"Mornin' Eomma," Hanbin mumbled out, a small smile playing on his lips as her warm words diffused through him. "I'm sorry I missed your calls, I was sleeping."

" _That's alright, I thought you might be. YunHyeong called to let me know what was happening; it sounds like you had quite an eventful day yesterday."_

Hanbin's smiled slipped off his face at the reminder and he closed his eyes to silently beg that YunHyeong had been vague about what had happened.

"Well, you could say that…"

" _How about we meet for lunch and you can tell me all about it? Your father has some free time this afternoon and HanByul has been pestering me to see you._ "

Hanbin glanced at his reflection in the mirror across the room and immediately felt shame get caught in his throat. He couldn't make his mother and father worry due to a few bruises that were accidental in the first place - they had seen enough of his injuries over the years. The thought of HanByul having to see him in such a state made his heart ache, it was clear the young girl was also a beta and the thought of her being scared of how she would be treated broke Hanbin's heart.

"Eomma… I don't think-"

“ _You don’t have to cover things up from me, Hanbin-a. You think just because you stopped coming to me for help I would stop worrying? A mother knows when her child is hurt; you don’t have to be hurting alone.”_

“I’m not alone. I have the guys and WINNER sunbaes and Jiyong Hyung.”

“ _Yes, of course you do.”_ Hanbin frowned at the forced brevity in his mother’s voice but she continued before he could comment on it. “ _I know your father and I left our pack before you were old enough to remember what it was like but a pack can be the most  important part of someone’s life. We only left because it was the last option open to us at the time but that decision shouldn’t be taken lightly. Fight for your pack, Hanbin-a, they can be your friends and your family and your mates all rolled into one if you give them the chance.”_

“I know. They’re just a little stressed lately, and that’s made us all a little tense, but it will pass and yesterday… it was an accident.”

 _“I was a little surprised when YunHyeong called me yesterday, it’s... been awhile since I’ve heard from the others_.” Hanbin could tell that his mother had been about to say something completely different by decided not to pry.

“We’ve been very busy recently, Eomma, with performances and variety shows and all. I’m sure once things calm down a little they’ll happily come and visit.”

“ _Make sure you extend the invitation to them; let them know it’s no trouble at all. It really has been too long; especially Jiwon and DongHyuk - it feels like I haven’t seen them since you were all trainees. Come to think of it, I don’t remember Jiwon ever coming-”_

“I’ll invite them.” Hanbin interrupted quickly, trying to be reassuring but his voice wavered as he spoke. “No one can pass up the chance to have your cooking.”

Hanbin breathed a sigh of relief as his mother’s flattered laughter filled the phone and he managed to sidestep the conversation. He had always been careful to only mention positive things about his packmates; up-playing the professional collaboration and letting his parents believe it extended into their personal lives. The fact that YunHyeong and Chanwoo, and JinHwan occasionally, had _actually_ been good friends to him over the years - visiting over holidays and going to his house for dinners - had helped the charade continue for so long. It was easy to claim the others were just busy when his parents were distracted by the rest of his packmates.

Now that things were beginning to improve, with the exception of DongHyuk, it felt obsolete to expose his lies but if things continued to head in the right direction it would be hard to keep the two groups apart. Hanbin had a feeling his mother would know immediately that the relationships between them was fledgling at best if she could see them interacting over the course of an entire evening.

“ _See that you do. I’ll be by to pick you up around lunchtime and we can talk some more. Please be ready by then._ ”

“I will. I’ll see you soon.” Hanbin agreed and bid his mother goodbye before hanging up the phone.

Sitting on his bed and staring down at the blank phone in his hand, Hanbin considered what would be the best course of action. He could say he had been called into the studio last minute and avoid any awkward explanations but he also wanted to see HanByul and his mother. The thought of deliberately hiding from them when he had been given a rare chance to spend time with his family made him feel a spike of unease in his stomach and he pushed all thoughts of skipping out of his head.

Checking the time, Hanbin decided he had a few hours before he needed to start getting ready so he quickly set an alarm before settling back on the bed; putting on some headphones and starting an episode of his favourite show. Time seemed to speed past and by the time his alarm went off Hanbin almost didn’t want to move but the thought of getting to see his little sister drove him up off the bed. Showering and changing quickly, Hanbin wandered into the kitchen to wait for his family to arrive.

Grabbing himself a glass of water, Hanbin sat at the table while he messed around on his phone to kill some more time. He had been waiting for about ten minutes when the door to the kitchen opened and the strong scent of an alpha swirled into the room. Hanbin tensed up as he felt Jiwon’s eyes land on his back but he stubbornly refused to turn around, the vision of Jiwon leaving - even if Hanbin himself has told the Alpha to go - was still too fresh in his mind and a small lump settled in his throat.

“I didn’t know you were up.” Jiwon greeted him simply as he stepped around the table and into Hanbin’s field of vision. “Do you want some lunch?”

“I’m meeting with my parents, and HanByul,” Hanbin replied, keeping his attention on the phone in front of him to try and hide the stupid tears that had errupted in his eyes at the memory of Jiwon's back walking away.

“Oh… that will be nice.”

“Yeah, I’ve been missing them. The food should be good too.”

“Definitely.” Jiwon paused and when Hanbin kept his lips glued together the other man continued. “When do you think you’ll be back?”

“I don’t know. I might go to the studio after or maybe home with them for the night. Make the most of our free time.”

“That sounds… nice.”

Hanbin shrugged in response. Why was it always so awkward with Jiwon? They had kissed, spent the night together, had sex even, but one fight where feelings were mentioned? One instance of the other walking away? Hanbin had been so happy and almost confident but the fear of Jiwon leaving — of him pulling back _again_ made everything tumble.

"Yeah, always nice to get out once in a while." Hanbin winced, that had definitely sounded better in his head.

"About yesterday-"

"I'm fine, it's fine, everything's fine." Hanbin quickly cut Jiwon off, he didn't need his mother arriving without him noticing and over hearing or seeing him become a mess - which was very liable to happen.

Jiwon looked concerned for a few moments before he nodded to himself and turned to start digging around in the fridge for some food. Hanbin deflated a little as the other man turned his back. He was glad Jiwon wasn't going to push it but he also wanted the Alpha to push, needed it. The tense silence continued for a little while longer until Jiwon placed all the ingredients down on the table and stood watching Hanbin. Hanbin watched back through his fringe but deliberately continued scrolling through his phone.

“Hanbin-a…”

“Hmm?”

“Are we really okay?”

“What? Of course we are." Hanbin tried to remain casual as he heart started thumping in his chest. "I told you-"

"You said we would talk about it later… this _is_ later and now you're avoiding me."

"I'm not, it's just my family's coming and-"

"You won't even look at me."

Hanbin's head snapped up at the defeated tone of Jiwon's voice. It was so eerily similar to how he had sounded kneeling on the practise room floor and Hanbin couldn't bear to hear such pain in his packmate's voice. The moment he met Jiwon's eyes though, he realised the misunderstanding would be the least of his worries. Jiwon's gaze zeroed in on the substantial bruising spread over the bridge of his nose and down one cheek bone; then to his teary eyes and his eyes widened in shock.

"Holy shit, Hanbin. Are you sure it's not broken?"

"Yeah, I'm… fine..." Hanbin answered in shock as he watched Jiwon's entire demeanor change in a split second.

The sloping shoulders and glassy eyes turned worried as Jiwon bustled around the table and reached out desperately to examine Hanbin's injury. A second before he made contact, Jiwon's eyes widened in realisation and he pulled back, his hand staying paused in the air just above Hanbin's nose.

"Can I- is it okay if I touch you?"

"Of course, I trust you."

Jiwon's fingers twitched and a small smile ghosted on his lips before he was leaning forward, his face a mask of concentration, to softly run the tips of his fingers over Hanbin's cheek. Hanbin found himself mesmerized by the care in Jiwon's deep gaze as he barely noticed the touch.

Feeling the cautious touch move closer to his nose Hanbin forced himself to stay still and just watch. The tugging in his chest began to grow more intense with each swipe of Jiwon's hand until he found himself tilting towards Jiwon unconsciously. The pull on his heart, like a fist clenched around the muscle, made his breath catch in his throat as Jiwon bit his lip in deep focus.

Hanbin sighed; breathing in the Alpha's heavy pheromones as Jiwon daintily moved up to the most tender part of his face but instead of adding to the pain, a warm tingle began to radiate out and pulse through the injured area. Jiwon jerked back at the feeling but Hanbin caught his hand instinctively and brought it back to his face; smiling reassuringly.

Jiwon paused as he scanned Hanbin's face but soon restarted his delicate tracing. As the prickling moved along his skin, and intensified where Jiwon had doubled back, Hanbin felt the ache receding until, finally, there was nothing left of the hurt but the slight tingle from Jiwon's touch.

"Do you… do you feel…?" Jiwon asked breathlessly.

"Yeah…" Hanbin replied, his head already racing in thought.

There was no doubt left in his mind now that Jiwon could initiate accelerated healing in him. The tingling and lack of pain, combined with Hanbin's insatiable need to be near the Alpha all pointed to the obvious. Thinking on it Hanbin knew he had been foolish to deny it. They had even had sex during his season and Jiwon had definitely been in rut; it would have been a small miracle if they hadn't synchronized their cycles - especially when Hanbin had already deemed Jiwon compatible.

The knowledge suddenly consumed Hanbin's mind and he looked at Jiwon in a new light. Yes, he might have always felt the same way for the other, but actually _knowing_ it? The thought took his breath away.

 **Mate. My mate**.

Suddenly, Hanbin couldn't bear the distance between them - even though it was no more than a few inches - and he reached up to pull Jiwon closer. The Alpha overbalanced from the sudden movement and tumbled forwards to smush their lips together. Hanbin held the two of them together for a few seconds before he pulled away, words spewing from his mouth before he knew what he was saying.

"Come and meet my parents."

"What-?" Jiwon choked out. "Now?!"

"No, I mean… in the future. I'd like you to meet my family and not just at some YG party or in passing. _Really_ meet them. Come and have dinner with my family."

"Wait, hold on. What brought this on?"

"You don't want to?" Hanbin felt his eagerness reduce a little but the new certainty in his mind travelled down his spine and gave him the strength to stay hopeful.

"No, I mean yes. Of course I want that Bin. But you've got to slow down a little for me; explain what's going on in your brain."

"I- it's just- we're…"

"We're... what?"

"I'm just going to say it."

"Say what Bin-a?"

"You're my mate."

Jiwon froze at Hanbin's declaration and the warring of emotion that flashed over his face sent a wave of anxiety through Hanbin's chest. Jiwon's mouth fell open and his lips moved as several words formed but neither sound or meaning escaped the clutches of his spinning brain.

"...Jiwon?"

"What!?" Jiwon exploded. " _Mates_ ? Bin, are you-? **What**! Seriously?"

"Y-yes."

"Thank you." Jiwon cried before dragging Hanbin into the tightest yet gentlest hug he had ever experienced. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"For what?" Hanbin questioned, a little confused by Jiwon's extreme reaction, but he wrapped his arms around the Alpha's shoulders and held him closer anyway.

"Thank you for giving me this. Just… thank you."

Jiwon pulled away but quickly grabbed Hanbin's hands and held them tightly. Hanbin looked down at their joined hands dumbfoundedly before looking up into Jiwon's face, a small smile spreading on his lips.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, baby."

Jiwon's toothy grin washed away the final bits of Hanbin's concerns and reservations so when Jiwon's hand snaked up his neck and onto his cheek, Hanbin could only laugh. Placing his own hand over Jiwon's when he saw the other leaning in he moved to meet him halfway.

As their lips brushed against each other, Hanbin felt a shiver run down his spine and he gave himself over to the feelings and emotions spilling out between them. It was wet and sweet and hot and dirty all at the same time and Hanbin couldn't bear it. Twisting on the chair, Hanbin moved closer to Jiwon and it felt like, somehow, he had managed to get even closer than before. The strain on his heart eased and a new warmth bloomed; spreading to every inch of his body.

Hanbin was so engrossed in the kiss and new feelings exploding within him that the sounds of the front door opening and voices in the hallway didn't even register.

"He's in the kitchen, Ajumma. Let me take you through." YunHyeong spoke from the hallway and then the kitchen door was opening.

"Oppa!" A young voice screamed in excitement and Hanbin was jolted back into reality.

Violently jerking away from Jiwon, Hanbin turned to see his mother and YunHyeong standing awkwardly in the doorway while HanByul bounced up and down in front of him with her arms raised. Laughing and getting caught up in the excitement, Hanbin slipped down to the ground and picked the little girl up in his arms. HanByul screeched in response and Hanbin leaned in to blow a loud raspberry on her neck as he twirled them around.

"I'll… um… I'll leave you to it." YunHyeong coughed; scratching the back of his head and bowing to Hanbin's mother before disappearing.

"Oppa, I missed you!" HanByul giggled and pressed a childish kiss to Hanbin's forehead.

"Not as much as I missed you."

"Not possible because I missed you _this_ much." HanByul held her hands as wide as possible as she teased him.

"Oh, is that so? That _is_ a lot, then." Hanbin stuck his tongue out at his sister before turning to his mother who stood with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. "Hi, Eomma."

"Hello, Honey. Hello, Jiwon-a."

Jiwon immediately scrambled up to his feet and bowed deeply to the woman.

"Welcome to our home, Ajumma."

"Thank you, but there's no need to be so formal. Not from what I can see at least…"

"Oh, Eomma, it's not what- I mean…"

"Use your words, Hanbin-a."

"We're… courting. Jiwon and I are... courting."

"Congratulations." His mother's smile felt like another hug and when Jiwon's arm wrapped around his waist it felt like everything was falling into place.

"Thanks, Eomma."

"Maybe HanByul and I should wait in the car for you, it looks like we interrupted something after all."

"There's no need, I'm ready to-"

"What I meant was: give me five minutes to prepare your father for the very strong smell of Alpha currently covering his oldest child, okay Sweetie?"

Hanbin's cheeks flushed and he gave no resistance as he passed HanByul over to his mother's waiting arms. Beside him, Jiwon seemed equally bashful at the older woman's bluntness and it made Hanbin want to laugh at how absurd it all felt.

"But Eomma~ I want to stay with Oppa~ _please_ , please, please, please~" HanByul whined as she was carried away.

Once the door was shut behind them, Hanbin collapsed back onto the chair with a sigh and buried his head into Jiwon's chest.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know she would see that. If it's moving too quickly then we can-"

Jiwon's lips cut him off as he ducked down to his level and Hanbin hummed into the other's mouth. The kiss ended quickly and Jiwon was soon straightening up and pulling away but Hanbin whined softly.

"Come on, Hanbin-a. Your family is waiting."

"I'm too embarrassed. My Dad is going to freak out." Hanbin mumbled, covering his face with his hands.

"So go and get it over with. I'll be here when you get back. For any support needed after being embarrassed to death."

"Not helping, Hyung." Hanbin whined but stood up and shoved his phone into his pocket, ready to leave.

"Go get 'em, tiger." Jiwon grinned and smacked Hanbin lightly on the ass as he passed by.

"Dick." Hanbin muttered over his shoulder.

He forced himself to continue out into the hallway for his shoes and coat; knowing that if he turned back he would have to sit in a car with his parents and sister smelling like a cheap hooker at the end of a long night. _Damn Alphas and their ridiculous pheromones_! So, with his face flaming red, Hanbin let himself out of the dorms and sprinted down the steps towards his family's car; desperately trying to calm his racing heart as he went.

Besides the _extremely_ awkward conversation in the car - where his father had given his blessing and then preached about the joys of safe sex - the outing had gone very well. It felt nice to be around his family in such a happy atmosphere; to be around people that wholeheartedly accepted and loved him for who he was.

HanByul had been buzzing throughout the entire meal. Regaling Hanbin with stories of school and friendship drama and her current television obsession and Hanbin had been happy to just watch her talk. The whole afternoon had seemed to fly by and when HanByul fell asleep in his arms Hanbin could tell the little girl had reached the end of her energy reserves; it was time to go home.

When they arrived back outside the dorms Hanbin spend a few minutes just watching his sister sleep. Reluctantly, Hanbin leaned down to kiss her forehead and brush a few loose strands of hair behind her ear before he climbed out the vehicle to join his parents on the curb.

"Thank you for the food and a wonderful afternoon."

"Hanbin-a…" His mother bit her lip and reached out to push his hair aside in a perfect echo of what he had just done to HanByul. "Are you sure everything is okay?"

"Of course, Eomma. I'm happy, _really_ happy."

"I'm glad, and the bruising doesn't even look that bad. I had visions all of last night but… seeing that lovely Alpha with you today. I trust you to make the best choice, Bin-a."

"Thanks."

"We're both very proud of you, Son." His father agreed and reached out to shake his hand stoutly. "I, personally, can't wait to see the project at the Beta college. We've been waiting so long to see it, do you have an idea of when it will be?"

Hanbin's mouth turned dry at the reminder of his year long project and campaign being cancelled without a whisper from the management. One day he had the go ahead and the next it was never to be spoken of again. The memory of the manager's reaction when he has gone to argue, beg and plead for another chance had haunted him for several months. Even the slightest reminder of it then, even while surrounded by his family, was enough to make Hanbin's breath pick up speed and his blood turn cold.

"I don't know, Appa." Hanbin heard himself saying. "It was more of a suggestion than an actual plan; I think YG wanted to focus on our more international activities."

"Yes, well don't forget where you come from while you're off globe trotting. Those Betas are your people and the future, so treat them right, okay?"

"I promise, Appa. I'll bring it up with the manager again."

"I know. You're a good man, Son."

Hanbin barely reacted as his dad clapped him on the back before turning to leave and get in the car. Hanbin watched him climb in numbly and tried to control his breath but his teeth were beginning to rattle from how hard he was shaking.

"Hanbin?"

"You should go now, Eomma. Don't want to be driving in the dark or heavy traffic. I'll leave first." 

"Hanbin, wait-"

"I'll call you soon, okay?"

Hanbin didn't even wait to hear her reply before he was up the stairs and turning the key in the lock. His breath was coming out in heaving pants and tears were pricking in his eyes as he vibrated where he stood. The sounds of his mother's concern and anguish, a sound more painful than anything _that_ man could put him through, speared into Hanbin and made him almost double over.

As he flattened himself against the closed front door, Hanbin forced himself to slow his breathing and calm down. He could hear the sounds of the television in the living room and several of his members chattering amongst themselves as it played. The sounds of normality, of safety, slowly filtered into his mind and soothed his racing heart. He wasn't sure how long he stayed there just taking measured breaths but a voice soon startled him from his focus.

"Bin? When did you get back?"

"Ji-" Hanbin looked up at the older man and felt like he would either break entirely or laugh. Somehow his body chose the latter and a wooden, hollow laugh escaped his lips.

"What's wrong? Did your father-"

"No, it's nothing." Hanbin quickly reassured the Alpha. "I just… miss HanByul."

"Ah man, I'm sorry. I know what you mean."

It felt cheap to use his sister to cover up his real reasons but it wasn't entirely untrue, he really did miss her a lot. Instead of focusing on what he was currently trying to bury in fear he would choke up again, Hanbin turned his attention back to Jiwon.

The Alpha was wearing comfortable old basketball shorts and a large, oversized jumper; his hair was messy and untamed while a pillow crease reddened one side of his face. It was so boringly domestic and soft that it made Hanbin's heart skip a beat - in a good way.

"Where are you going?"

"To get some more snacks." Jiwon held up a large empty bowl to wiggle in front of Hanbin's face. "YunHyeong and I finally decided to watch that movie that came out and Dong joined. You want in?"

"Sure, why not?" Hanbin nodded.

Shrugging out of his coat and shoes, Hanbin followed Jiwon onto the kitchen instead of heading to the living room. Jiwon frowned at him a little but laughed and threw an arm over Hanbin's shoulders as they walked. The Alpha was quick to pop a new pack of popcorn and plate up some fruit before chucking Hanbin a share bag of gummy bears. Hanbin immediately fished out a clear one before popping it on his mouth.

"Will you see her again soon?" Jiwon asked as he poured out some drinks.

"Hopefully. Holidays are coming up."

"Yeah. She must miss you too. It's cute."

"What is?"

"You. You with kids, but mostly just you." Jiwon winked.

"Don't say that."

"Why? It's true. You look good with a kid in your arms... Oppa."

Hanbin choked on the handful of gummies he had stuffed into his mouth and wheeled around to glare at Jiwon but the older man just smirked.

"I've always thought so. You have a way with kids, and animals, they just… trust you. Babies stop crying and toddlers will toddle their little legs as fast as possible to reach you. I've always thought… well, it's cute."

"'m not." Hanbin coughed violently as he tried to protest. "Not c-cute."

"If you say so." Jiwon teased, jauntily picking up all the food and walking back into the living room.

Despite being a lot calmer as the scent of Jiwon's pheromones covered his back and shoulders, entering the living room presented its own problems.

The single chair was taken up by YunHyeong, who looked so bundled up that he had probably wedged himself into the tight space until morning, which left just the sofa. On one end sat DongHyuk, who glared as soon as Hanbin stepped foot in the room, and Jiwon, oblivious to everything, sat down at the other end; leaving only the middle or the floor open.

Swallowing his pride, and taking his current need for closeness to Jiwon into account, Hanbin squished himself between the two other men and curled up towards Jiwon. At first, the Omega pressed against his back remained frozen and stiff so Hanbin tried to focus on the movie and Jiwon's scent instead but as the night wore on both of them relaxed considerably.

By the time the movie was halfway through, Hanbin could feel himself beginning to drift off - despite how many sugary snacks he had indulged in - and he decided to give in to the pull of dreamland. After the long and emotional day Hanbin thought he deserved a break and Jiwon's scent was just so… _inviting_.

A sudden movement to one side woke Hanbin up with a start but he held still as his entire body went into high alert. The body currently supporting his head felt familiar yet odd at the same time and angry pheromones swirled in the air.

"Can you get him off me, please?" DongHyuk huffed as Jiwon's movement of the sofa as he headed to the toilet caused Hanbin's head to slip down onto DongHyuk's shoulder.

"Why do you have to be like that? He's asleep, just leave him be." Jiwon growled and Hanbin felt a petal of pleasure unfurl in his gut at hearing the Alpha defend him.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Dong, what the fuck? Why do you have such a problem with him that you can't even be civil? He's fucking unconscious."

“You used to get on so well when we were trainees.” YunHyeong added. “I would always find you together, practising some new dance moves or falling asleep cuddled up on the sofa. What happened?”

The whole room was silent as everyone waited for the youngest's reply. Hanbin held his breath as he allowed his body to go slack and maintain the rouse of sleeping. Beneath his head he could feel each deep inhale DongHyuk made before, finally, the Omega sighed deeply.

"You think I hate him, right?"

"What else are we meant to think?" Jiwon bristled. "You treat him like shit."

"That's rich coming from you." DongHyuk snapped back.

"Okay, okay." YunHyeong tried to placate them. "Let's not start a fight now."

"He started it, Hyung. He acts like he fucking hates Hanbin and expects us to think otherwise? I don't buy it." Jiwon hissed.

"Exactly, even you guys - who know me the best - think I hate him and want nothing to do with a Beta."

"What are you talking about?" Hanbin could hear the confused frown in YunHyeong's voice and he echoed the feeling wholeheartedly.

"Do you remember, after WIN, when Hanbin Hyung ended up in hospital from an assault?"

"Yeah…" YunHyeong's voice sounded so cautious as he tried to gauge what DongHyuk was getting at but Hanbin felt a lead weight settle in his chest.

He knew what DongHyuk was talking about.

 _He knew_.

"It was my fault."

Hanbin froze. _Or not_.

"It was my fault he got hurt and he _knows_ that they did what they did to get back at me. He _knows_ it was my fault. I waited and waited and _waited_ for him to call me out; to expose what a coward I was but he never, _never_ did. I soon realised that he would never blame me; so I had to blame myself. I had to stay away from him and give no-one else a reason to go after him."

DongHyuk's confession was far from what Hanbin had been expecting. He had thought witnessing the attack had made DongHyuk ashamed to have such a weak and useless Hyung. He hadn't said anything because no one had done anything wrong and at the time a brief trip to the hospital was a welcome respite from the newly appointed manager. Apparently, DongHyuk had seen it a different way all along.

"It wasn't your fault Dong-a, the people that-" YunHyeong started to console the younger man but DongHyuk quickly overrode his words.

"But it _was_ my fault, Hyung. They were trying to get at _me_ and I was so pathetic I couldn't even stop them. They made me- they made me _watch_ , Hyung, and I couldn't do anything but watch them break Hanbin Hyung apart piece by piece."

"Dongie, that's not-"

"I could have stopped them and I didn't. Don't you understand? I'm the worst type of person and Hanbin is better off without me."

"Bullshit." Jiwon exploded. "You can't believe that for a second. You really think Hanbin would want you in pain for something that wasn't your fault? You think you being horrible to him hurts him less than those punches and kicks? You're wrong; if anything it probably hurts him more."

"I- I… you don't understand."

"So explain it to us." YunHyeong broke back into the conversation and calming, patient pheromones flooded the air.

"I've never told anyone before…"

"Take your time. No one here will judge you for anything."

Hanbin felt his ears prick up at DongHyuk's words. Despite knowing the conclusion of the story, he had no clue how DongHyuk had ended up in such a place. Feeling eyes burning into the top of his hair, Hanbin forced himself to relax so as not to give himself away.

"It was during the filming for Youngbae sunbae's music video 'Ringa Linga'. I kept hearing a group of backup dancers and other trainee's talking shit about Hanbin when I was there over lunch or at the end of the day. They kept messing with him all shoot too and, by the end, I’d just had enough."

"What did you do?" Jiwon asked, anger at the historical bullying surfacing as he spoke.

"I confronted them… or tried too." DongHyuk's voice broke as he got lost in the memories and Hanbin wanted desperately to reach out and hold his dongsaeng but he had a feeling DongHyuk needed to tell this story.

"What happened?" YunHyeong prompted.

"Two of them held my arms while- while their leader punched me in the face and told me I had 'no business defending beta scum.' She said I was just 'a worthless pussy Omega that was no better than muck.' She asked me- she asked…"

DongHyuk was shaking violently as he spoke and Hanbin could feel himself being lifted off of the Omega to be taken into another set of arms but DongHyuk quickly latched on and held him tightly; dragging in huge lungfuls of Hanbin's scent. The arms that were trying to move him stilled for a moment before retreating and Hanbin felt a new weight settle next to him on the sofa.

"What did she say?" This time Jiwon's voice, sounding much closer than before, took on a calming quality as of taking to a wounded animal.

"She asked me if I wanted to die." DongHyuk gulped and Hanbin felt wetness drip onto his face. "I started to cry. It was pathetic and she saw that. So, she gave me a choice. Either I would pay for being rude to them or- or… or…"

"Hanbin would." YunHyeong finished for him when DongHyuk's voice failed.

"That's horrible." Jiwon whispered in shock but it sounded like a gun had gone off in the silent room.

"Not as horrible as what I did next. I just... wanted them to stop, it hurt so much. They kept calling me a 'slut' and a 'beta-whore' and hitting me and I agreed. _Anything_ to make it stop."

"And did they?"

"They did but-" DongHyuk let out a gut wrenching sob and HanBin felt something in his ribs crack from how tightly the Omega was holding onto him. "The next thing I knew, Hanbin was lying on the floor and they were all surrounding him."

DongHyuk's words wove their way into Hanbin's head and suddenly he wasn't just listening to the retelling of a story he was there and living it. He was smelling the sweat and blood that hung heavy in the air. He could hear the jeers ringing in his ears and see the tattered old dance shoes belonging to his dongsaeng a few feet in front of his face. His face, although resting comfortably on DongHyuk's shoulder, felt raw and scraped as if he was still pressed face down on the rough floor.

The worst part of it as the kicks and punches began to rain down was the screams and cries as DongHyuk begged for them to stop. Hanbin had stopped resisting or trying to cover himself after about the fifth hit to the head and by the time they stopped he was gasping for air around the gushes of blood from his mouth.

A steely grip had then appeared in his hair and dragged him to his knees; bringing him face to face with a grinning female Alpha. The perfect smile and huge innocent eyes hidden under a thick fringe did nothing to hide the contempt in the face in front of him.

"Lisa… please…" Hanbin choked out but more blood fell from his lips and there was a spark of something on the girl's eyes - almost like horror - before it was all washed away as  Lisa just laughed cruelly at his obvious suffering.

"I'm just teaching a bitch his place. No hard feelings." Having delivered one last indignity Lisa stood and let Hanbin drop heavily and painfully down to the ground. "Let the Omega go, I think he's learned his lesson."

As soon as the words were spoken a set of gentle hands landed on Hanbin's body but he couldn't help but groan as all his new bruises were set alight all over again.

"Hyung, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm-"

"Get him up." Lisa snapped and all at once the hands disappeared again. "You're really starting to piss me off, Omega. Leave him to be found in the mud where he belongs."

"He'll die." DongHyuk protested and a loud slap resonated through the air; making Hanbin wince.

"That's the whole point." Another of the crew snarled and Hanbin watched through blurry, red washed vision as DongHyuk was dragged from the room.

His awareness began to fade until he was left with only the excruciating ache of his body and he was trapped inside his own head. Darkness pressing in on all sides and Hanbin could clearly remember the pounding of his heart as he resigned himself to die alone and forgotten on the floor.

Dragging himself back out of the memory he tried to focus on the conversation, on the here and now, but the words seemed blurred and nonsensical. Instead he focused on DongHyuk's solid, ground-up, bulk beneath him and worked on clearing his head.

The injuries had turned out to not be too bad. He had been sent home from the hospital after an IV, painkillers and an ice pack; he was even back to training within the month and there had definitely been no risk of dying involved. Young bodies and childish kicks meaning the bruises soon faded and Hanbin's memories of the event followed soon after - blocked out through sheer force of will only to surface in nightmares and daydreams.

Lisa had also changed considerably. Coming to Hanbin in tears after BLACKPINK's debut to apologise and explain. She had been lonely and isolated from her lack of language skills and had fallen in with the wrong crowd. Lisa was also an incredibly strong Alpha, abnormally so, and at the time of puberty Hanbin had no doubt her hormones has driven her wild. They had talked it out but Hanbin had long forgiven the Alpha for her actions. Maybe, Hanbin thought to himself as he felt Jiwon's fingers begin to trace over his arm, he had a habit of doing that.

"It just… makes me wonder what else he's hiding." Suddenly DongHyuk's words were coming through loud and clear and Hanbin wanted to run but the tight hold, and the knowledge he was giving DongHyuk some comfort, kept him in place.

"What do you mean?" YunHyeong asked gently.

"Well he already hid the Weekly Idol rape from most of us and then lied about it. And with this, I was _there_ and I don't know anything about how it affected him. I almost feel as if I dreamed it all. I just… I can't imagine what else has happened to him. What if it something much worse?"

"It doesn't bear thinking about." YunHyeong sighed.

"He'll tell us when he's ready." Jiwon insisted. "We haven't exactly been any better to him. We have to trust him to trust us."

Hanbin wanted to protest Jiwon's words but he knew it wouldn't make a difference in the end. They all had things they needed to work on, communication being front and centre on that list. He felt guilty for covering up so many things but some stuff was better private and buried deep in the dark. If the members ever found out about the manager- Hanbin shivered, it wouldn't bear thinking about.

DongHyuk seemed to pick up on the shiver and assume he was cold because suddenly a large blanket was covering them both and Hanbin couldn't help burrowing down into the warmth of his packmate.

"Why don't you talk to him?" YunHyeong suggested. "Explain everything and stop this charade."

"I can't…" DongHyuk muttered sadly. "Even if I was only pretending to hate him, Hanbin Hyung has every right to hate me for real. I can't allow him to get hurt again because of me."

"It's like deja vu." Jiwon chuckled. "I said the exact same thing but, Dong-a, Hanbin is an adult; he can make his own decisions. Just talk to him."

"I'll think about it."

Hanbin smiled. Despite DongHyuk's avoidance of giving a straight answer he also hadn't said no. As they all sat together thinking and running through all the new information, Hanbin couldn't help but feel yet another bloom of hope in his chest as DongHyuk buried his face into Hanbin's hair and took small scenting breaths. 


	21. Hum a little tune of love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday everybody.
> 
> A double upload can only mean one thing my friends :) we're in peak writing productivity procrastinating for exams. Yeet.
> 
> Anyways I am now in love with the idea of bamf binnie so we're gunna work on that from now on. I hope you like it !
> 
> A big thank you to @sugr_n_spic_ for beta reading this chapter for me.
> 
> Please leave a comment or kudo if you enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you think :)  
> Thank you for reading.

They sat in silence for a long time after that, with just the sounds of the long forgotten movie as a cover for the lack of words to say. Hanbin lay pressed against DongHyuk's chest smiling to himself as the racing heart pounding in his ears slowed to a peaceful rate and DongHyuk finally stopped sniffling.

Jiwon's fingers continued to trace soothingly over the fabric covering Hanbin's calf muscles, gently lulling him to a proper sleep as they all waited for something to happen. At first, Hanbin thought nothing else would happen that night, it had been a big step for DongHyuk to open up as much as he had and now the others could be there to support him, but then DongHyuk had shifted and finally spoken.

"How would I even talk to him? Like… how do I just randomly ask if he's okay? I have no right to- Junhoe's been telling all these facts about Beta's and I just… I fucked up so bad; I don't know what to do. Where do I even start?"

The others didn't answer immediately and Hanbin suspected they were just as surprised as he was at the younger man's questions. After a few moments of thought YunHyeong broke the silence again.

"You could start anywhere. Do you want to talk about this or just in general?"

"In general- about what I've done- Both? I don't know…"

"Start small." Jiwon suggested quietly. "Hanbin wants your friendship back but if you suddenly rush into it he might doubt your intentions."

"Jiwon-a, Hanbin knows that you-"

"It's alright Yun Hyung." Jiwon interrupted the other sadly. "I deserve his mistrust, after everything I've done I deserve much worse."

Hanbin frowned at the other's words, he hadn't realised Jiwon had picked up on his early worries about the Alpha's intentions. The other must have been paying more attention to him than he thought, but he still agreed with YunHyeong; he knew Jiwon honestly wanted something with him. Now, anyway.

"You might be right." DongHyuk sighed. "I've pushed Hanbin away so many times over the years… I don't want to hurt him anymore."

"Then tell him that." YunHyeong sounded exasperated but so incredibly fond. "Tell him how you feel and your reasoning for why you acted the way you did."

"He'd say I was stupid."

"Well, you were."

"I- yeah… I was, wasn't I?"

"I agree with YunHyeong Hyung." Jiwon added. "Telling him the truth is better than him thinking you're a bigot, right?"

"What if… what if once I tell him he starts to blame me, when he sees it's my fault-"

"Dong-a, it _wasn't_ your fault." YunHyeong spoke softly but his words were full of conviction. "Hanbin didn't blame you then and he wouldn't blame you now, he'll just be glad to have his packmate back."

"But what if he's upset?" DongHyuk choked out and Hanbin could feel the shudder in his breath as emotion clogged his throat.

Hanbin heard a shuffling and then he could feel the oldest's hands taking DongHyuk's where they were clasped around Hanbin's shoulders. YunHyeong squeezed DongHyuk's hands and murmured something that Hanbin couldn't quite catch but it seemed to calm DongHyuk down a little.

"He might be upset to start with." Jiwon said thoughtfully. "But it won't be because of what you did. He'll be upset with himself for not being able to help you, you know how he is."

"You're pack, Dong-a. Hanbin would do anything to help and care for pack, for you."

Hanbin felt himself starting to get a little misty eyed at YunHyeong's words. The other man knew, probably better than anyone, exactly how much Hanbin had missed DongHyuk and how helpless he had felt at the situation. Hanbin had spent countless nights curled up in YunHyeong's arms trying to understand why. Why his dongsaeng, his brother had suddenly pulled away. Why he always had to be hurt or ignored by those that supposedly loved him. Why he could keep nothing precious in his life for long. It had been hard.

"I know." DongHyuk's voice was small and Hanbin sighed at the feeling of fingers weaving into his hair; shoving the melancholic feelings away. "I missed him… I've missed so much I almost feel like we're strangers."

"I understand what you mean." Jiwon's hand left Hanbin's leg and the Beta couldn't help mourning the warmth as Jiwon shifted. "I sometimes feel like I know nothing about him. He's definitely not the timid and desperate trainee I used to know, but I think… I think it doesn't matter that I don't know everything about him. I know how we feel about each other; that we have each others' back, and that I want to get to know him. I just have to hope that's enough."

"More than enough." YunHyeong snorted. "Anyone with a brain could tell exactly how gone he is for you."

"Yeah, Hyung. Maybe I'm not the only stupid one." DongHyuk giggled.

"Aish." Jiwon grunted and Hanbin stifled a smile at the sound of a slap against hair and DongHyuk's yelp. "I got there in the end, didn't I?"

"Did you?" YunHyeong and DongHyuk asked in shocked unison.

"I- ummm… yeah." Jiwon coughed awkwardly. "We're umm… Bin asked me to court him… and we told his mum."

"You what?!" DongHyuk shrieked and was immediately shushed by the others. "I'm sorry, you what?"

"We're going to give it a real go. Take it slow and just… be us, I guess."

Hanbin really regretted decided to pretend to sleep, he desperately wanted to see how flushed and awkward Jiwon was bound to be after such a confession. Hanbin couldn't keep the grin off his face and surreptitiously borrowed further into the blanket to keep his cover.

"Shit, Hyung. Congratulations, that's so crazy."

"I know, it's… it's the best." Jiwon gushed.

"Well… he's full of surprises, this one - both of you. You better keep an eye on him, Jiwon-a." YunHyeong chuckled.

"I agree. I don't know why I thought I could protect him by staying away." DongHyuk sighed dramatically. "He's fucking scary all on his own."

They all broke down in laughter at his words and Hanbin didn't even care that it was at his expense when they were finally talking to each other. Finally healing.

Hanbin let himself fall deeper into DongHyuk’s hold as they other men continued to talk around him. He felt distinctly aware that he wasn’t meant to hear this, not yet at least, so he made no attempts to follow the conversation as they moved on to less sappy topics; instead giving into the pull of his heavy eyelids.

DongHyuk wasn’t ready to share with him or he would have said something before. It felt almost like an invasion of privacy to hear the other man’s most intimate thoughts. Things which, even when they did sit down to talk, Hanbin doubted would be brought up. YungHyeong and Jiwon were his Hyungs, meant to be asked for advice and relied upon, and while Hanbin was the leader he was also a Beta and, to DongHyuk, someone that needed to be protected.

Before he realised he had fallen asleep nestled under the blanket with his usually standoffish dongsaeng; the talking and background noise of the movie still playing not even causing him to stir. Only being dragged from the warm cocoon of sleep when muscled arms lifted him from DongHyuk's lap.

Muttering in discontent, Hanbin tried to reach out to catch DongHyuk before he was taken away again but the soft voice and scent of his alpha lulled him back into semiconsciousness. Wrapping his legs and arms tightly around the body carrying him like a koala, Hanbin sighed into Jiwon's neck sleepily.

Jiwon hummed happily as Hanbin felt the vibration through his entire body, equally happy to just be with the other man. Blinking himself into slight awareness, Hanbin realised he was being taken to his room, to bed. When he felt the Alpha had hefted him around in his arms Hanbin went back to pretending to sleep before he was lowered onto the soft mattress - he was too tired to really keep his eyes open anyways.

"You big baby." Jiwon muttered with a chuckle and Hanbin felt the bed move as he settled on the side of the bed; soft fingers beginning to slide through his hair. "I wish I could always keep you like this… so peaceful and happy and safe."

Jiwon's fingers continued to play gently with Hanbin's messy strands as he sat. The whole world felt as if it had stopped and fallen into silence just for them, for that moment. What brain power he had gathered on the short trip to his bedroom quickly fled Hanbin's grasp as he sank into his sheets and Jiwon's pleasant touches.

"God, Bin." Jiwon suddenly choked out. "I know you're tired of hearing this but I'm so sorry. I was so stupid."

Hanbin could hear the crack in Jiwon's voice but his dopey mind couldn't comprehend what was going on. Peeling his eyes open he turned to see what was wrong but the Alpha had let his head fall to the bed, so engrossed in his misery that he didn't realise Hanbin was awake and listening.

"I should have known, I should have fucking known. How did I miss you being hurt so many times… how could I call myself your Alpha; how could you even bear- shit, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry you had to go through all-"

"Jiwon." Hanbin called out as he sat up to reach for the other, unable to listen to another grief filled word.

At the sound of his name Jiwon sprang up and frantically wiped at his eyes. The sight was heartbreaking, his red face and eyes driving a knife into Hanbin's body; being yanked around with every suppressed sob that jerked the Alpha's body.

"Hanbin? I- I should go… I'm-"

Jiwon stood up from the bed and stepped away but Hanbin scrambled to grab his wrist to stop the distraught alpha from leaving. Even with his arm clamped firmly in Hanbin's fingers, Jiwon didn't turn around to face him. Hanbin let his hold turn gentle and when the other man didn't instantly run away he took a deep, steadying breath.

"I don't need you to save me, Jiwon. I need you to let me save myself."

The words make Jiwon's head drop to his chest and the Alpha let out a shuddering breath before finally turning back around, but he made no move to return to the bed.

"But Bin, you-"

"Needed someone to tell me it was okay to fight back; that I was worth fighting for. I know what happened wasn't right and it's not going to happen again."

"I can't just let you-"

"Yes, you can. It's my fight and I can do it. I need you to trust me."

"I do, Bin." Jiwon finally defeated and sat back down; Hanbin moved up onto his knees to hug the Alpha's broad shoulders. "I do, it's just hard to see you hurting. I want to protect you."

"I know you do, but I don't need protecting. I need someone to support me and fight by my side, okay?"

"Okay." Jiwon huffed and smiled at the quick kiss Hanbin pressed to his cheek.

"Good, now let's get some sleep."

Hanbin tired to keep a straight face as he lay back on the bed and patted his pillows but Jiwon looked so scandalised that he couldn't help laughing.

"Are you sure, Bin-a? We just told you mum we were courting and now you want to sleep together?"

"Jiwon, you have literally fucked me senseless on this bed. Sleeping next to me isn't a big deal."

"Right." Jiwon nodded sheepishly and joined Hanbin under the covers.

Hanbin watched as Jiwon got himself comfortable in the large bed before turning to flick the light switch and punge the room into darkness. As he rustled his way back into a comfortable position, tucked into Jiwon's warm chest, it struck Hanbin just where they were. Hanbin froze, expecting to feel discomfort as having the alpha in his private space but instead he felt secure and incredibly happy.

"Everything alright?" Jiwon asked from the darkness.

"Yeah, I just… yeah." Hanbin replied in wonder, it was the first time he had been able to completely and consciously relax with another invading his room in a long time.

"You know… if you want me to let you fight your own battles, then you have to promise to talk to people when things aren't okay."

"But Ji-"

"Wait." Jiwon hushed Hanbin's attempt to protest. "It doesn't have to be me or even someone in the pack, it could be your mum but just please, please talk to someone."

"I'm trying, I really am. I don't want to keep you out but it's just hard to talk about some things. Some stuff is just too…"

Hanbin's voice lost all strength as his mind roamed to a place it was always best to avoid. The cloying scent of a gross Alpha all over his skin and the sound of his rough voice holding him just as much as the groping hands. The memory made Hanbin shudder involuntarily. He would gladly tell Jiwon about every single bump and bruise he had ever received but he didn't think he would ever be ready to share what _he_ had done.

"It's okay, Bin-a, you don't have to tell me anything now." Jiwon soothed him, running his knuckles down the outside of Hanbin's arm. "But when you're ready I'll be here."

"I know." Hanbin sighed and he shifted closer to be completely surrounded by Jiwon's arms and his calming scent. "Thank you."

"No, Bin-a, thank you."

Hanbin smiled into the blackness at the reverence in Jiwon's voice and he let the joy flood through his mind; allowing the feeling to carry him straight off to sleep. Not a care in the world to keep him awake and worrying - finally.

When Hanbin woke up the next morning, the contented feeling still lingered in his mind and limbs. It felt so good to stretch out in the warm bed; watching the light of the early morning drift in through his curtains.

Jiwon was still asleep and snoring next to him and Hanbin felt his face crack into a wide grin at the sight of his Alpha. Too bad he was drooling on Hanbin's pillow. Shaking his head at the other, Hanbin slowly maneuvered himself out of the bed and padded into his bathroom for a shower.

As he waited for the water to heat up, Hanbin placed a new towel on the side; humming quietly the whole time. At first the humming was simply a way to express his bursting happiness but as the echoing walls of the bathroom returned to melody to Hanbin's ears he couldn't help but take notice. It wasn't half bad, definitely a good base to start from.

A new kind of excitement began to spread through Hanbin's body as he hopped into the shower; now actively trying to piece together the absentminded hum. The beginnings of a melody were already there and Habin could easily let his mind wander to try and fit each of his members voices into the song even if there were now words yet to sing.

By the time he was finished in the shower he had at least a few bars on repeat in his mind as notes and rhythms just seemed to fall into place. He couldn't stop humming and tapping to the semiformed music in his head and he knew he would have to get down to the studio to write it down before the spark was gone.

Sneaking back into his room, Hanbin quickly got dressed; he sent one last lingering lookwards his sleeping with packmate before tip-toeing towards the kitchen. Hanbin poured himself a large mug of coffee and he tied to wake up the last little bit in the early morning and sank down at the table to enjoy the warm drink.

"Morning, Bin-a." YunHyeong greeted him before heading toward the coffee machine for his own hit of caffeine.

"Morning, Hyung." Hanbin grunted in response, his foot already restlessly tapping out the song again.

"I see you and Jiwon got cozy last night."

"Yeah. We talked for a bit and then just fell asleep.*

"Must be nice…" the wistful sadness in his friend's voice cut through the repeating melody with a discordant crash and Hanbin swivelled around to find his Hyung staring off into space.

"Hyung…?"

"Hmmm? Oh nothing, I just wish… I wish I was as brave as you."

"What do you mean?"

"You've been through so much shit and you just carried on and now you guys are courting and I- I'm too afraid to lose what I _do_ have that I can't ask for what I _want_. I just wish JinHwan…"

"He what? What are you talking about Hyung?"

"It’s nothing. Are you eating breakfast?" YunHyeong replied quickly, changing to topic as he began to rummage through the cupboards.

"Yun-"

"Do you want eggs with something or are you feeling like raiding Jiwon's cereal?"

"Nah, I'm going to head into the studio. I've got some stuff I need to get down."

"Oh…" YunHyeong froze for a moment before forcing himself to continue searching for food. "Okay, but get something when you get there - and not just a snack either - you look like you've lost weight."

"Will do, Hyung." Hanbin chirped as he downed the rest of his coffee. "See you later and we can talk properly about what's bothering you, alright?"

"Nothing's bothering me."

"Sure, sure. I'll see you later Hyung."

"Make sure you eat!" YunHyeong yelled after him as Hanbin walked out into the hall to out on his shoes and jacket.

He had just zipped up his coat and pulled a beanie over his head when the sound of a door opening behind him caught his attention. Hanbin turned to see Junhoe stumbling out of his bedroom, shirtless and sleep ruffled. When the Alpha caught sight of him, he stopped in the middle of the hall and blinked slowly as he tried to comprehend what was in front of him.

"Morning, Junhoe." Hanbin called pleasantly; finally jolting the other man back to life.

"Hanbin? Where're you goin' so early?"

"It's hardly early, Ju-ne. I'm headed to the studio." Hanbin told the sleepy Alpha wandering down the hall. "You want to come with?"

"To the studio? At YGE?" Junhoe asked, suddenly looking much more awake and… scared?

"Yeah, what other studio would I be going to?"

"Nah, that's okay Hyung. You go on ahead."

"You sure, but don't you have a singing lesson at-?"

"Leave him be, Binnie." JinHwan muttered mischievously as he followed Junhoe out of the Alpha's bedroom. "He's scared he'll bump into Jinwoo Hyung."

Hanbin raised an eyebrow at the Omega's disheveled appearance but decided not to question what his two members had been up to; suddenly YunHyeong's strange mood made a lot more sense. Deciding it wasn't his place to interfere, and he should talk to his Hyung first, Hanbin turned his attention back to the, now obviously cowering, Alpha.

"Jinwoo Hyung? What's wrong with-"

"SeungHoon is on crutches." JinHwan announced happily, enjoying the grimace that covered Junhoe's face far too much. "And Jinwoo is out for blood."

"Jinwoo Hyung?" Jiwon questioned, yawning heavily, as he was finally roused from his deep sleep in Hanbin's room and made his way out into the hall. Hanbin tried to ignore the equally curious look JinHwan sent his way when the other man nodded conspiratorially at Jiwon's sleepy form and the place he had come from. "Why would you be scared of a Be-"

Jiwon quickly cut himself off but the damage was done; everyone in the hallway knew exactly what had been about to slip out of his lips. Junhoe and JinHwan immediately going on the defensive while Jiwon visibly recoiled; all sleepiness vanishing from his face.

"Bin, I didn't- it's habit. I'm so sorry. I know better and I shouldn't have said that or even thought it. I'm sorry."

The whole space seemed to have all the air sucked out of it as the two others turned to Hanbin, waiting on his next move to see how they should react. Feeling their expectant gazes, Hanbin drew himself up to his full height and walked purposefully towards Jiwon who looked almost ill with worry. Stopping in front of the Alpha, Hanbin crossed his arms to look Jiwon up and down.

"Yes, you should know better and you know what?"

"What?" Jiwon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Next time will be different." Hanbin leaned into Jiwon's face intimidatingly. "You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because next time." Hanbin smiled evilly to himself as he bopped Jiwon on the nose after every word. "You. Will. Do. _Better_. Clear?"

"Crystal."

"Cool, then I'm gonna bounce. See you all later."

Hanbin then breezed out of the dorm without a backwards look; knowing full well he had left several jaws on the ground. It was inevitable really, that one of them would slip up eventually - the group's teasing had often revolved around making fun of Betas in the past and it was hard to break old habits. What mattered was that they had noticed, apologised and now would work on it.

Hanbin didn't see the point of getting offended at a meaningless and deeply regretted sentence so early in the morning. Maybe he could even get Jiwon to make it up to him in a much more _pleasurable_ way than simply apologising and letting himself be yelled at. That thought made Hanbin jump down the last few steps onto the ground floor before he made his way happily towards the YG building, humming the new melody as he went.

The weather was pleasant for the time of year and Hanbin shoved his hands into his coat before setting off down the road. Since he had the time, Hanbin distracted himself with a bit of window shopping and even stopped to buy a snack as he walked. Each step seemed to inspire a new phrase of the song and sometimes even half-decent lyrics joined the jumble in his head.

As he waited on the curb to cross the street an odd prickle when down the back of his neck and Hanbin snapped his attention back to his surroundings. It reminded him of something, a memory tried to surface in his mind but the bustle and overwhelming noise of the street made it hard to focus.

Taking a deep breath Hanbin paused as he caught the familiar strong scent of an Alpha that he had picked up a few times before but this time, instead of hurrying along, he looked around to try and find the source. Hanbin glared around in the crowd and spotted beady eyes staring right back at him. The recognition was instant and the alpha even had the nerve to smirk, the move just infuriating Hanbin. Just as he was about to take a step forward and confront the guy, a large crowd of well dressed business employees engulfed him; by the time he had pushed his way through the creepy man was gone.

Hanbin frantically tried to find where the man had disappeared too, even pushing up onto his toes to try and get a better look, but the Alpha had vanished into the crowd. Hanbin huffed to himself and made a mental note to tell Jiwon when he got home, this was probably the sort of thing he would think 'wasn't okay' and Hanbin had to agree. It wasn't safe to have someone following him, not just for himself and the other guys but also for others at YG. Hanbin shuddered at the thought and turned to continue his journey to the company building, next time he would just have to be faster.

The encounter put a dampener on the rest of his walk as Hanbin kept checking over his shoulder at each corner and he hurried quickly into the relative safety of the building reception. Pausing a moment to scan the crowd walking down the street outside, Hanbin had to admit to himself that he had lost the Alpha for today.

Shrugging, Hanbin headed to the lifts and climbing in; jabbing the button for his floor. When the lift began to rise, Hanbin leaned back against the wall and let out a deep breath as he tried to work out why the scent was so familiar.

He had definitely smelt it in passing a few times on the street but that wasn't necessarily unusual for such a strong scent to linger, it was something more. The scent had made him uncomfortable, even before he had seen the Alpha, and that didn't come from just picking it out of a crowd. Hanbin began to run through any strange encounters he had experienced in the last few weeks but nothing jumped out.

Continuing to ponder the possibilities, Hanbin left the lift as the doors opened and nearly walked into someone as he walked around the corner.

"Sorry, I didn't see- oh, hi Jinwoo Hyung, SeungHoon Hyung."

"Hanbin!" Jinwoo exclaimed and launched himself forward to pull Hanbin into a tight hug. "Are you alright? I heard what happened, are you hurt? Do you need me to-"

"I'm okay, Hyung." Hanbin chuckled as Jinwoo released him to begin checking him over.

"You look much better than I was expecting. Minho said it looked like you might have broken your nose, but you look fine."

Hanbin let Jinwoo manipulate his head from side to side and even begin poking at his nose before he finally batted at the fussing Beta's hands and pulled away. Jinwoo pouted at him but didn't reach out again; instead scanning the rest of Hanbin's body for injury.

"I said I'm okay, Hyung. You seriously don't need to worry."

"Someone's got to or you'll end up really hurting yourself one of these days."

"But Hyung…"

“No buts, it's my job to worry about you."

"Why don't you ever worry about me like that?" SeungHoon whined; drawing the two Betas attention back into the world outside their bubble.

Hanbin drew in a shocked breath, SeungHoon looked awful. Besides the crutches he also had dark bruises covering most of his visible skin and several large patches of gauze covering his face and neck. The scariest thing was the medical grade neck brace keeping SeungHoon's head up and forward as the Alpha leaned against the wall.

"I do worry about you, baby." Jinwoo purred as he moved to gently hug SeungHoon. "I worry equally about all my idiots."

Hanbin stood motionless as he watched the couple interacting. Junhoe had done that? SeungHoon wasn't a small or weak alpha by any stretch of the imagination and to see him so hurt was jarring. It was lucky Lisa and the others had been there to contain him or Junhoe might have hurt so many more people in his rage.

"Binnie…?" Jinwoo called out cautiously and Hanbin realised he must have been staring for quite a while.

"I- I'm sorry, Hyung."

"Don't worry about it Bin-a. It looks worse than it is. The doctors were just being cautious with all this." SeungHoon grinned as he knocked on the hard plastic of the brace.

"Still, I'm sorry. It's my fault that you got-"

"From what I heard it wasn't anyone's fault, Bin." SeungHoon cut him off with a reproving look. "These things happen and everyone was fine in the end."

"Yeah, I'm just annoyed that Junhoe is some super beast or something now." Jinwoo laughed. "I remember when you were all skinny trainees and now he's an Alpha hunk."

"I mean he wasn't that super. He just caught me by surprise but I could have taken him down; especially without all the angry hormones."

"Sure you could, Hoonie. It's just… from what Minho said it sounded like Junhoe flicked you off like an annoying fly at a picnic."

"Minho and his big fucking mouth." SeungHoon grumbled.

"At least Minho doesn't have a hero complex. What if something worse had happened? What would you have done then?"

"I had it under control."

Jinwoo's face changed in an instant as his jaw set and an angry eyebrow rose on his forehead. Hanbin got the impression that this was a fight the pair has often and he shuffled awkwardly as SeungHoon rushed to placate his mate.

"I'm sorry Woo-a. You know I'm trying to be more careful but I couldn't just let him hurt himself or the others."

"I know." Jinwoo deflated and leaned into SeungHoon's side with a sigh; the Alpha wrapping an arm around him despite the wince in brought to his face. "It's just lucky Lisa was there."

"I'm sorry." SeungHoon repeated and this time Jinwoo smiled for pressing a quick kiss to SeungHoon's lips before pulling away.

"I'm sorry too. I know you were just trying to do the right thing."

Hanbin felt a deep tugging in his heart as he watched his Sunbaes talking. They looked so happy together even moments after having a fight. They could talk and apologize and move on. Hanbin had felt jealous of what Jinwoo had occasionally through the years but now it just made him motivated to make something like that for himself.

"Hey, Bin?" Jinwoo called out, looking a bit sheepish at what Hanbin had just witnessed. "We were just heading to the cafeteria, do you want to join us?"

"Thank you, but I was just heading into the studio for a bit."

"Oh okay, we'll see you around then?"

Hanbin nodded and stepped to the side to allow Jinwoo and SeungHoon to pass him in the hallway. Jinwoo held out his hand to help SeungHoon push off the wall and he pulled him upright. The movement caused SeungHoon to hiss in pain and he clutched at his side; the reminder of his injuries made Hanbin bite his lip in guilt.

As Jinwoo carefully helped SeungHoon manoeuvre his crutches down the hall he was bumped in the shoulder by an employee walking by.Jinwoo stumbled out of the way, barely missing knocking SeungHoon over, as the woman shoved past him.

"Just get out of my way, _Beta_."

" _Excuse me_?" Jinwoo asked, clearly appalled by the woman's actions and tone of voice. The woman didn't even react to his call and kept walking so Jinwoo repeated himself louder. "Excuse me!"

"Hyung, what are you doing? Let's just-" Hanbin tried to get Jinwoo's attention and stop the other yelling, they didn't need a scene and the employee complaining about them to management.

"Oi! _Excuse_ me."

The woman stopped and turned around with pursed lips, crossing her arms as she moved closer. Hanbin tried to tug Jinwoo away one last time, the thought of a confrontation making him worried about the consequences, but the older man shrugged him off and stepped forward to meet the woman head on.

"You might notice more if you weren't thinking about Alpha cock all the time." The woman growled and moved to stalk away again.

Hanbin wanted to reach out and stop Jinwoo again but SeungHoon's hand on his arm stopped him. Hanbin looked back to protest, disgusted by the employee's obvious prejudice but also not wanting them to get in trouble, but SeungHoon simply shook his head and waited.

Turning back around, Hanbin could see that Jinwoo had caught up to the woman while he was distracted. Standing in front of her to stop her moving away but still keeping a respectful distance between them.

"Care to explain what you meant by that?" Jinwoo asked, his voice steely and cold as he glared at the woman.

"Exactly what I said. It's no secret _your_ kind is only here to keep the Alpha's distracted, so why don't you do us all a favour and stay out of the way of people that do the real work around here."

"Real work, huh? I was under the impression that everyone in this company was pulling their weight to work as a team."

"Some work is just more important than others." The woman sneered. "Especially when some of us are just glorified whores."

Hanbin was beginning to lose it at the woman's words and tried to tug his arm out of SeungHoon's grip again but, despite being injured, the Alpha was strong enough to hold him back. Hanbin whipped around to ask how he could let someone talk to Jinwoo in such a way when they should just forget about it but SeungHoon's face was full of pride as he watched Jinwoo.

"Is that so?" Jinwoo's calm and measured voice dragged Hanbin back to the drama at hand. "Well forgive me for thinking that as we were all just people working for a common goal we could all spare a little bit of human decency for each other."

"Just leave the thinking to those that are capable of it then."

Jinwoo exhaled heavily through his nose, an incredulous smile settling on his face, as he shook his head at the woman. The words weren't original in the slightest, Hanbin had heard similar things from most of his life and he was sure Jinwoo had as well, but the hostility was pretty extreme.

"Alright, I've tried to be patient with you but listen to me carefully. Beta rights and awareness are a growing issue in today's social climate so I suggest, if you want to continue to work in such a diverse industry, you learn to keep your vile prejudices to yourself, understand?"

"Whatever." The woman sniffed hauntily and tried to step around Jinwoo but the Beta blocked her again.

"You won't get very far with that much hate in your heart. Trust me."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, it's just the truth. Time to open your eyes and see what's actually there; not just believe what you've been told."

"Fuck off." The woman sneered and forced her way past Jinwoo; disappearing down the corridor at lightning speed.

All three of them watched the empty space where the woman had turned the corner for a few moments before Jinwoo turned around with a full belly laugh. Hanbin looked between his two Hyungs in shock but Jinwoo seemed so pleased with himself and SeungHoon was frozen with pride and love covering his face; it seemed like the others weren't worried in the slightest.

"Can you believe some people?" Jinwoo asked in astonishment, pointing down the hallway.

"That was actually crazy." SeungHoon agreed. "You certainly showed her though. I doubt she'll be giving others trouble for a little bit, the old cow."

"Hell yeah. That's how you stick it to the man… or woman." Jinwoo chuckled and high fived SeungHoon in his excitement.

"If I wasn't on crutches I would be dragging you to the nearest store room. So fucking hot." 

"I'm sure you would." Jinwoo purred. "Maybe later. I'm so hyped from that, goddam."

Jinwoo started doing a strange little wiggle that might pass as a victory dance as Hanbin watched on, horrified about what had just happened and who might get involved now.

"Hey, man? You alright?" SeungHoon asked, nudging Hanbin's arm a little.

Hanbin peeled his gaze away from Jinwoo and looked up at SeungHoon. He felt numb and confused, why weren't they both freaking out right now?

"Hanbin?" Jinwoo questioned, also picking up on his weird behaviour.

Hanbin looked between them both a few more times before dragging a large swallow down his throat so he could speak, even if it was shaky.

"How did you- what if she complains?"

"Then she complains." Jinwoo frowned in confusion.

"But aren't you worried about repercussions?"

"Why? She was in the wrong, the company would take my side over her. Besides I can't just sit back and let them act like that. They're all cowards who think they're protected by the law so when I don't just roll over to them, they go running."

"No, I mean… what if she has friends that… that..."

"That what?" Jinwoo asked, completely mystified.

"Has that happened to you, Hanbin-a?" SeungHoon's face turned soft as he tried to meet Hanbin's eyes.

"I guess." Hanbin shrugged and looked away, he felt stupid for how afraid he had been.

If it had always been this simple to deal with assholes like that he would have acted before. Jiwon has given him the confidence and, slowly, he was learning that it was okay to defend himself but he had never considered trying to correct someone or tell them off for something like bumping into him.

"I know things with your pack haven't always been amazing but couldn't you talk to one of your managers about it?"

Hanbin froze, of course he couldn't but they didn't know that - no one knew that. To them a manager was someone to be trusted and relied upon; maybe even a Hyung or Noona to talk things through with. Even if Hanbin felt like he could tell his managers about that it would be passed on to their head manager and then, well, Hanbin didn't even want to consider what would happen.

"It's not a big deal." Hanbin tried to reduce the others concern. "Things are good with my pack now anyway."

"Maybe but you can't let people treat you like that Bin-a." Jinwoo spoke earnestly. "Don't put yourself in danger but, also, don't let them walk all over you. They'll never learn if we let them get away with it."

"I guess you're right." Hanbin conceded.

"Of course I am."

"Woo's right. You have to learn to stand up for yourself but don't forget that others are here to support you as well and, maybe, try not to get hurt while you're doing it."

"That rich coming from you, SeungHoon Hyung." Hanbin snorted but he smiled at the other man's words, it meant a lot to hear them.

"Yeah maybe it is, but I know what I'm talking about."

"SeungHoon's right, I used to feel just like you but one day I just couldn't keep quiet anymore. You can’t live your life being afraid of upsetting people just because of what you are."

Hanbin nodded, it made sense. He had the means to protect himself, having taken up boxing over the years, and he now had a pack to support him. He didn't need to be afraid anymore. He didn't need to be scared to tell them either; to let them in. Hanbin was suddenly hit with how simple everything actually was once he saw how much he has built it up in his mind.

There would always be bad people and those that couldn't accept that he was different, not better or worse, just different. He didn't have to put up with anymore and he _wouldn't_.

"Yeah, I think I get that now." Hanbin smiled and the others grinned back.

"Good." Jinwoo announced. "Now I'm starving. Let's scrap the cafeteria and find somewhere nice to eat, you with me?"

"I'm in, but you're getting the taxi this time." SeungHoon teased.

"Done." Jinwoo agreed before turning to Hanbin expectantly. "Bin? Food? My treat."

"I really should get to the studio." Hanbin started to excuse himself but then he remembered his earlier promise to YunHyeong. "Actually, if you're treating…"

"That's my favourite dongsaeng." Jinwoo cried happily, throwing his arm over Hanbin's shoulders. "Let's go get some food."


	22. No time to fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So lads... how was feeling about today? Those lyrics really hit different don't they?
> 
> Anyway, I'm glad to get back into this story now that I have the time to really focus on it and write well. Hopefully, it all makes sense and flows well because I had a moment of galaxy brain energy a few weeks ago and changed a major part of the ending. We'll just have to see if it all works out.
> 
> Please leave kudos or a comment if you enjoy the story, anything you wanna chat about or ig go crazy about things after today. Also, let me know if things seem weird.
> 
> One last thanks to @ sugr_n_spic_ for helping me with editing and getting everything making sense. Especially my uncomfortable colloquialisms... sorry.
> 
> I'm super hyped for all the things that are to come from the guys, so I hope we can all be supportive of everything that comes and be happy for whatever they all choose to do. Best wishes to everyone in the new year and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Hanbin blew out a deep breath through his lips and pushed himself back up into a sitting position in the stiff aeroplane seat. His back and numb butt protested painfully, but he could barely stop himself from fidgeting. He had been jittery and unsettled the entire flight, despite how short it was, and the pure exhaustion weighed down on his body.

The trip had been so last-minute Hanbin had sacrificed the last few nights to tireless work and coordination so they could be ready to fly to Japan and perform as a replacement act at an award show. The lack of rest and the huge amount of effort Hanbin had expended left him feeling high strung and tense to the point he couldn't have slept even if he passed out in his seat.

Hanbin had tried to calm himself down-- even stealing Junhoe's blanket to curl up and try to sleep but nothing had worked, especially not with  _ him _ sitting next to him. The very smell of the other man set Hanbin on edge and he had resolutely kept his gaze away from the well-dressed man serenely reading a newspaper beside him.

When his manager had announced he would personally be overseeing the trip instead of leaving it to the other managers like usual, Hanbin had felt his stomach drop. The last time they had been accompanied by their head manager had been years ago and Hanbin could still remember the hotel and the awful smell mixed with the pain that laced his body for days afterward.

Standing in the opulent office and staring down his worst possible nightmare, Habin had given in and subtly tried to stop the manager from coming with them. His resistance had only made the man seem more determined and, looking back, Hanbin could only curse himself for playing the Alpha's game. He had been ready to beg the man not to come when the manager had flashed him a smarmy grin, clearly pleased with the reaction, and told Hanbin the short notice meant he had to attend to oversee everything.

The memory of the look in his eyes and the gross tug of lips over pearly white teeth made a shudder pass through Hanbin's body and he twisted away from the manager for good measure. The seatbelt and narrow chair didn't allow much movement but Hanbin felt better for having shown the weak display of rebellion, anyway.

Looking over at Junhoe, seated on his other side, Hanbin hoped his constant adjusting hadn't disturbed the other. Junhoe, who had been working just as hard all week, was dead to the world in his seat as he caught up on much-needed rest. Smiling slightly at the goofy sight of his sleeping friend, his mouth wide open and hair ruffled slightly, and Hanbin let his gaze travel over the other members to check they were also alright. DongHyuk, Jiwon, and Chanwoo were seated across the aisle, all passed out in their seats and resting on each other's shoulders.

The sight of Jiwon with the others, and looking so relaxed, made Hanbin's heart thump against his chest in a weird way and he couldn't help but feel happy at how much they had seemingly recovered since the practice room incident. As much as he wanted to escape from his problems and nestle into Jiwon's willing arms, Hanbin didn't want to bring any suspicion to his relationship with the older man. His manager had accused him of seducing someone before, even though it had been a simple crush on the poor Omega's part, and that really hadn't turned out well. Hanbin would do anything to avoid a repeat for the situation, especially with Jiwon.

Finally dragging his gaze, and thoughts, away from Jiwon as he slumbered on, Hanbin turned to his last two Hyungs and jolted as his eyes connected with YunHyeong's worried ones. Hanbin immediately dropped his gaze from the questioning look the older was giving him and tried to remove all trace of his unease from his face so as not to worry YunHyeong any more.

If Hanbin had been stressed for the last few days, then YunHyeong had been losing his mind. The oldest had been run ragged trying to sooth the fractures in the pack, make the appropriate introductions to the other packs that would be at the award show, and dealing with an increasingly moody JinHwan. All in all, it had been very taxing on the Alpha and Hanbin was reminded once again that the man wasn't suited to the role of Pack Alpha - that was, and always would be, Jiwon. YunHyeong hadn't wanted it and the fact he had been forced into it by Hanbin himself left a bitter taste in the Beta's mouth.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Hanbin slowly looked back at YunHyeong. He made brief eye contact again, and Hanbin even attempted a shaky smile which got a questioning eyebrow raise in return, before a small hand was slapping at YunHyeong's shoulder and the Alpha looked away. Hanbin immediately shrunk down in his seat at the sight of JinHwan trying to get YunHyeong's attention. He didn't entirely know what was going on between the two eldest, but he didn't want to get involved - best leave it to them to air out whatever was bothering them both.

Turning back around to sit normally again, Hanbin could see Junhoe yawning heavily as he blinked away sleep. Having noticed him looking Junhoe slid sideways and let his head rest on Hanbin's shoulder and he slowly woke up. Hanbin could practically  _ feel _ the disapproval emanating from the manager beside him but he resolutely ignored the prickle on the back of his neck to reach up and run gentle fingers through Junhoe's hair.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" Hanbin asked gently.

"Nah. I need to piss, but I'm so… tired." Junhoe yawned some more and snuggled into Hanbin's shoulder.

"Go to the toilet then."

"I'm comfy."

"You'll regret it when all the toilets are occupied and you're desperate."

"I can hold it, you're warm."

"Fine, but don't wet yourself right next to me."

"Kinky." Junhoe muttered under his breath before unbuckling his seatbelt and wandering off down the aisle; leaving Hanbin very confused.

He didn't have very long to ponder Junhoe's parting words before a new body was sitting next to him in the recently vacated seat. He looked away from his Hyung hurriedly and tried to ignore the way YunHyeong was carefully watching him. They sat in silence for a little while, the weight of the Alpha's gaze making Hanbin flush as he sat there until YunHyeong coughed purposely to call Hanbin's attention.

"Everything alright, Hyung?" Hanbin asked reluctantly without looking up.

"Yes, fine." YunHyeong replied easily and Hanbin wriggled a little in his seat to ease his tension. "Can I ask you the same question?"

"I'm… just tired. We all are."

"I guess so, but the others are sleeping now and they didn't have nearly as much to do as you did. What's bothering you?"

Hanbin paused, all words drying up in his throat. It would be so easy to tell the Alpha exactly what and  _ who _ was bothering him; YunHyeong could protect him and get him away from the other man in minutes. Everything could end right there and then with a few simple words. Hanbin could feel the urge to tell, the desire to be free of it all bubbling up in his chest as he looked into YunHyeong's concerned face.

"It's not a big deal."

"Bin-a, I can clearly see how uncomfortable you are. What's going on? Is someone bothering you?"

"No, Hyung, it's… I'm fine, really."

"Please talk to me. We used to talk about everything, you and me. I can help you and I won't judge."

"Not here, Hyung. I don't want to cause a problem. Let's just perform well and get back home, okay?"

"Hanbin… please..."

The small crack in YunHyeong's voice snapped Hanbin's head up to meet the other's eyes. The Alpha looked exhausted, stress lines surrounded his bruised eyes and slightly pallid skin. The sight tugged at Hanbin's chest and he knew his refusal to trust the other man was most likely causing a strain on the Alpha and their pack.

Catching a glimpse of DongHyuk's fluffy hair in the row across the aisle, Hanbin quickly swallowed down his immediate denial. DongHyuk had gone years avoiding and terrorising him because he believed he was at fault for Hanbin getting hurt; it could be the same situation with YunHyeong if Hanbin didn't explain himself. He couldn't lose another member to a misunderstanding.

However, some reluctance still clung to him as he watched the three members sleeping together before turning back to YunHyeong's begging eyes. The knowledge of what had been going on, relatively under their own noses, could hurt them more than a perceived lack of trust. It was Hanbin's business; his own weakness and his choice of what they would know - it had to be. Having talking himself back into denial, Hanbin opened his mouth to reply and found himself saying something entirely different.

"It's umm… actually I need to tell you, I need your help to-"

Hanbin's words cut off in a barely audible whine, his breath suddenly trapped in his body as his chest froze in panic. A large weight had settled on his thigh; long fingers digging painfully into his muscle to pin him in place. The rustle of movement and the sudden envelopment of the sickly Alpha scent making Hanbin stomach roll and heave in protest at the close presence.

"Sorry to interrupt." Their manager spoke with a cloyingly sweet voice; his fingers squeezed even harder as he leaned in. "I just happened to overhear your conversation and I want to make sure everything is okay. You don't have to deal with issues alone boys, I'm  _ always _ here for you."

Hanbin sat frozen as the older Alpha subtly scented along his hair and shoulder, Hanbin gritted his teeth as the hand on his leg began to massage gently. YunHyeong looked between Hanbin and the manager in confusion before realising Hanbin wouldn't be continuing.

"It's alright, Hyung. We were just chatting, a little bit of pre-performance nerves."

"Anything I can do to help? I can contact the award show staff and get anything you need."

The change in the manager was instantaneous, now that the threat of exposure was gone the man was straight down to business; it probably helped the YunHyeong was an Alpha and therefore worthy of respect and help. It made Hanbin's heart race and his hands shake as he saw the professional mask take over, no one would believe him if they only knew the facade the man put up.

"It's alright Hyung." YunHyeong chuckled. "Nothing more than normal. We're all excited to have the chance."

"Yes, well, you deserve it despite the…  _ disadvantages _ you have."

"We manage." YunHyeong smiled, oblivious to the meaning behind the other Alpha's words.

Hanbin couldn't bear the feeling of the Alpha's hand on his leg any longer as he chatted amiably with YunHyeong and Hanbin shot awkwardly to his feet, hunching around the chair and low ceiling. YunHyeong watched him curiously and Hanbin cleared his throat as he ignored the angry pheromones floating towards him from the manager.

"I need the toilet." Hanbin stuttered out, shoving the hand off his trousers and barely waiting for YunHyeong to let him out before stumbling down the aisle.

Wrestling the door open and closed, Hanbin flipped the lock and collapsed back against the door, slamming his head back against it a few times to try and stop the deafening noises swarming his mind. His shaking legs barely kept him standing as he glared up at the ceiling. The sounds of his shaking puffs of breath taunted his ears and the sting of tears in his eyes made Hanbin screw his lids shut and grind the heel of his hand into his eyes.

"Pathetic." Hanbin muttered to himself. "So damn…"

Taking a deep breath Hanbin dropped his hands and stared blankly in front of himself. Hanbin knew the manager was just another Alpha that felt entitled to his body; just another person that needed to be put in their place but he couldn't. It was as if all the resolve and confidence Hanbin had worked so hard to cultivate within himself was sucked away by the other's presence.

Why was it so hard?

Groaning quietly, Hanbin shuffled to the tiny sink and scrubbed some water over his face. He really was pathetic, Jinwoo and Heechul would never let something like this happen to them, they would defend themselves and fight back easily - and yet, here he was hiding in an aeroplane bathroom. Maybe it was just him? Everything seemed to be his fault recently. He was just too weak.

Too weak.

The sudden rattle of the toilet door made Hanbin jump and he hurried to wipe his face and rearrange his hair before opening the door; apologising profusely to the group of people crowded around waiting. They watched him angrily as he stumbled out and Hanbin quickly turned away as recognition settled in some of their faces.

Heading back to his seat he drew up short when he saw YunHyeong was now sitting by their manager, leaving the aisle seat open for him, but instead of his usually chatty self, the older man's face was drawn and distant as he sat motionless in the seat. Hanbin quickly turned around to see what was bothering his Hyung and spotted that JinHwan was now sleeping half on top of an equally drowsy Junhoe. Looking back at the glum YunHyeong, Hanbin's jaw worked uselessly for anything to say.

"Junhoe's sat in your seat."

"Well, I guess I sat in his first."

"But JinHwan Hyung-"

"Just let them sleep, Bin-a." YunHyeong snapped before taking a deep breath and forcing a smile; patting the seat beside him.

“Okay.” Hanbin replied hollowly.

Hanbin stayed rooted to the spot glancing back and forth between his other members and the Pack Alpha before cautiously taking a seat and watching the lines of tension in the other man. YunHyeong continued to smile as he watched Hanbin tuck the blanket back around himself and buckle in. Hanbin’s brain was too on edge to understand what was happening but he could smell YunHyeong's unhappiness, even above the manager’s anger that still fizzled in the air like a cloud of noxious gas as the man buried his face in a work tablet again.

Fiddling with the blanket some more, Hanbin tried to focus on Junhoe’s relaxed and familiar scent that was blooming up from the fabric. The silence between them seemed stilted as YunHyeong swore under his breath and turned in his chair to face Hanbin; grabbing one of his hands to hold tightly as he spoke.

“I’m sorry for snapping Bin-a, I know you’re already stressed. If you want to sit with Junhoe I can move back.”

“No- no, I’m alright.” Hanbin rushed to reassure the other. “I’m sorry you lost your seat when you came to check on me.”

YunHyeong was silent again for a long time before he sighed and shook his head. The dip in his shoulders clenched at Hanbin’s heart, he wasn’t entirely sure what was going on and he was scared to ask in case it made things even more turbulent between his Hyungs. Something had been going on, but with the craziness of the past week, he has taken to avoiding being in the same room as the oldest two - as had most of the rest of the pack as well.

“Bin…” YunHyeong’s soft voice drew Hanbin out of his worried thoughts. “I… I called your mother about the fight.”

“I know.” Hanbin replied easily, confused about where the other was going.

“I thought you would.” YunHyeong hummed and then returned to studying Hanbin’s fingers intently.

“Hyung?”

“You can talk to me, you know?”

“What?”

“I know you have your family and Jiwon, and now the pack, but I’m still here for you - always.”

“Hyung, I-”

“I’m sorry.” YunHyeong chuckled; pulling away. “It’s really random and this is so not the place but… I needed you to hear that.”

“I…” Hanbin watched the other man in a daze and felt a warmth settle in his stomach, washing away the ugly ghost of a hand on his thigh. “I know you are. We’re pack.”

“I’m glad you can say that and have it actually mean something.”

“It’s always meant something.”

“Now it can mean something good.”

“Yes… it can.”

Hanbin bit back a smile at the cheesy, but undeniably true, words. Glancing over his shoulder, at the pile of bodies in the seat across from them, Hanbin couldn’t hold the smile back anymore at the sight of his courting Alpha and pack mates. Things were definitely good.

Even in sleep, Jiwon seemed strong and confident but there was a softness and a care to his rough edges. His lips curled up gently at the edges; his fluffy hair rested lightly around his face, and the habitually oversized clothes - that Hanbin has unashamedly stolen a few times - gave him back the youth the long hours constantly tried to beat out of them. Jiwon was fast becoming something so important, Hanbin didn’t even have the words to acknowledge it. Something anchoring, strong, and so, so special.

“Maybe it’s more than the pack that’s been…  _ good _ ?"

YunHyeong’s teasing words instantly made Hanbin flush and he knew someone with more decorum might look away but Hanbin remained transfixed on the sleeping Alpha. Something about the man's aura just drew him in and kept him stuck there - staring. Hanbin knew it had always been that way, really; even when the only words the Alpha had for him were spiteful and cutting, Hanbin had remained fixed in his orbit.

Over the years, Hanbin had lapped up any contact with the other that wasn't violent and even meekly accepted those that were. The Beta had spent years trying to prove himself through music and dancing and support, yet only managed a few back-handed compliments in the studio and a cold shoulder. Even though all of that, the illusion had only broken twice.

Even in the present Hanbin still had no idea why that particular comment, on that particular day had lead to Jiwon getting a fist to the face - but it had happened and both of them had been shocked. The Alpha had avoided him for weeks after that, no doubt nursing his pride, but afterward, Hanbin could almost fool himself into thinking there was respect lurking in the man's eyes. The event, now lost to history, had felt so exhilarating and freeing to Hanbin back then but now he simply saw it as a stepping stone to where they were now.

Hindsight and rose-tinted glasses removed all the anger and hurt he had felt at the time. Besides, even if rose-tinted glasses didn't really exist, Jiwon's pheromones did and they seemed to be even worse for Hanbin's resolve and point of view. He knew the Alpha's and the pack's past actions were bad but now he had what he had dreamed of, Hanbin couldn't find it in himself to be resentful.

It wasn't perfect and it probably wasn't the healthiest of relationships-- it definitely wasn't--  but it was what the world had given him and Hanbin wouldn't let it go, not now. Jiwon was getting so much better and he, himself, was getting better. History was history and Hanbin had been a fool for denying what Jiwon was for so long.

"Almost certainly." Hanbin grinned back at YunHyeong finally, bumping his Hyung playfully with his shoulder. "Jiwon is definitely  _ very _ good."

YunHyeong pulled a face but he was soon smiling just as wide as Hanbin as the giddiness spread between them. It didn't last long, however, before YunHyeong's smile dimmed and his shoulders drooped again.

"I envy you, Bin-a. You've always been so strong."

"You're pretty strong too, Hyung." Hanbin tried to keep the light atmosphere, reaching forward to poke YunHyeong's bicep.

"But you're strong where it counts. You were strong enough to overcome your own problems and help Jiwon; help the pack. Seeing you do that… it's made me realise I don't have any excuses. I wish- I wish I was strong enough."

The sadness in his voice contrasted with the echoes of happiness still beating through Hanbin's heart and made the switch seem so jarring. Hanbin didn't really know what to say, he didn't want to pry but he couldn't bear leaving his packmate suffering.

"You are strong enough, Hyung. You took over this pack and protected it."

" _ You _ protected it. That day in the practice room… I was useless, Bin. You calmed everyone down."

"It was my mess to sort out, Hyung. You've always helped me but I'm strong enough to help myself now, thanks to you."

"Maybe you can even help me now." YunHyeong joked but Hanbin could see the hopelessness in his gaze.

"Of course I can, I'd love to."

YunHyeong was about to answer when the chime of the intercom announced their imminent landing and broke the moment. The words seemed to dry up but the intention was still there, Hanbin had offered and YunHyeong could accept. Both of them seemed to realise the depth of what had been said and offered as they sat back in tandem, preparing for their descent.

It felt like too much to restart the conversation in the shuddering cabin and Hanbin wasn't even sure what they had been talking about anyway but YunHyeong seemed to relax as he sat pensively through landing. If his support was enough to comfort his Hyung then Hanbin was content to let the matter drop for a while. Whatever it was couldn't be sorted on a descending plane anyway, so Hanbin sat back and watched the ground rushing up towards them through the distant window.

When they landed, Hanbin was slow to rise and reach for his baggage in the overhead locker. The bustle and impatience of a disembarking flight always left him a little unsettled, hands and eyes constantly brushing over him as people moved around the small space.

He had just gripped the handle of his carry on when a warm set of arms wrapped themselves gently around his waist and a huffing breath disturbed the hair on his neck. Hanbin instinctively settled back into his Alpha's embrace and hummed lightly when the arms tightened in response to Hanbin's positive reaction.

"You okay? Did you manage to sleep?"

Jiwon's soft voice made Hanbin almost purr in happiness to have the Alpha's care and concern centered on him. The small shake of his head made Jiwon sigh and shake his head before reaching up to cover Hanbin's hand with his own; tugging down the small bag for him. Hanbin wanted to protest but the toothy smile flashed in his direction made him bite his tongue again and simply flush at the action.

"You're so exhausted, you should sleep in the van and at the hotel. You have to be ready for the performance and the fan signing."

"I will."

"I could maybe…" Jiwon tailed off and coughed nervously. "I can keep you company… if you want?"

"Yeah, I'd like that." Hanbin smiled and pressed his forehead against Jiwon's for a moment; just breathing in the Alpha's steady scent. "I'd really like that."

A small clearing of a throat behind him made Hanbin turn lazily in the other direction and he suddenly froze. Jiwon touched his arm in question at the sudden change in behaviour while YunHyeong raised an eyebrow at him from the row of seats but Hanbin paid them no attention. Quickly scanning the rest of the cabin, Hanbin relaxed slightly when he didn't spot their manager nearby - he hadn't seen them. Hanbin only calmed down the rest of the way when he heard the Alpha's voice from the front of the plane, giving directions to the airport staff on what would be needed to get through arrivals.

"Bin? Bin-a?"

Jolted out of his gaze, Hanbin turned to Jiwon and grimaced as he realised all of the guys were watching him cautiously. Taking a large swallow to clear his mouth of the foul taste of fear, Hanbin quickly nodded before realising Jiwon had called his name.

"Yes, Hyung?"

"You alright?" Jiwon asked gently, his hand rising up from Hanbin's upper arm to his cheek where it delicately cupped his face. "Looked like you weren't with us for a second there."

"Yeah, I just… thought of something I forgot- but it's fine now."

YunHyeong moved closer to Hanbin and the scent of his packmates around him settled Hanbin's racing heart. JinHwan, Chanwoo, and Junhoe also pressed closer as they picked up on the atmosphere and the calm spread further - until YunHyeong opened his mouth.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look like that day in the bathroom… are you-"

"I'm fine." Hanbin pressed out through gritted teeth and to prove his point he hefted his bag up to his shoulder and turned to leave the plane but came face to face with JinHwan.

"Bin-a?"

Hanbin slammed his gaze down to the small aisle carpet to avoid the look of concern and hurt in his Hyung's eyes. Quickly scrabbling for a lie to cover up his reaction and odd behaviour, but the thought of another lie between them made him pause.

He didn't want to lie and cover up anymore. They loved him and trusted him. He could tell them. He  _ should _ tell them. He-

"Bin?" Jiwon's voice startled him once again and he turned back to face the Alpha.

"Yes?"

"You zoned out again."

_ He couldn't do it. _

"I… umm… I'm just trying to think if I saved and turned off my studio monitor...I was working on a song and I...yeah."

"Typical." Junhoe snorted. "Trust Hanbin to be worried sick over his computer and music."

The other members didn't move from their stoic contemplation of Hanbin until Jiwon finally nodded, accepting the story as the only answer they would get for the moment, and nudged Hanbin's shoulder playfully. The other members slowly relaxed after that but they still seemed wary and DongHyuk was even subtly glaring around the cabin for unseen danger.

Now that Hanbin knew the motives behind the Omega's behaviour, it was easy to see the actions for what they were. Whereas before Hanbin would have thought DongHyuk was irritated at him slowing them down, now, he could see the younger man was subtly trying to discover the source of the trouble. It was mind-blowing how wrong they had both been for so long.

"Just call Jiyong Hyung." Jiwon suggested lightly, drawing Hanbin's attention back, but the look in his eyes made the Beta pause.

His gaze told Hanbin so much more than the simple and vague words. Jiwon knew that Jiyong had often been a support and safe harbour for Hanbin; Jiwon was telling him to get help from someone, even if it wasn't from him. The knowledge of that stuck any words Hanbin had in his throat and he simply blinked back at the Alpha.

"Don't bother Jiyong Hyung." JinHwan tutted. "I'm sure Mino Hyung could check easily enough when he's in the studio."

"Right… I'll do that." Hanbin replied, still slightly stunned from Jiwon's perceptiveness.

"Don't worry, Bin." Junhoe laughed. "Your precious music is safe in the hands of Mino Hyung."

"Yeah. Yeah, so let's get off this plane shall we?" Hanbin let out a shaky chuckle.

"Definitely. Ju-ne is starting to stink." Jiwon wrinkled his nose and grabbed Hanbin's hand to lead him off the plane.

Hanbin let out a heavy sigh as they walked, he really had to calm the fuck down before the others found out - there were already so suspicious. As much as he didn't want to tell them, he  _ really _ didn't want them to find out what was happening on their own. He'd tell them but not just then.

They all passed through security relatively quickly after that and, much to Hanbin's surprise, he had fallen asleep immediately in the van; cuddled between Jiwon and Chanwoo for the short drive to the hotel. He roused a little bit when the van stopped but his body had now tasted the elusive sleep it craved and it wouldn't let go.

A warm chest presented itself in front of him and Hanbin latched on happily, preening in the strength and power beneath his head. It didn't really dawn on his sleepy mind he was being carried around in public until it was too late to do anything, Hanbin couldn't reject this kind of affection if his life depended on it. After a while of being jostled and continuously adjusted for the walk to their rooms Hanbin hummed as he was laid on smooth, fresh sheets.

"Have you seen him eat anything today?" A quiet voice floated into Hanbin consciousness but he ignored Jiwon and snuggled deeper into the sheets.

"Not on the flight." YunHyeong's more distant voice replied. "And he met us at the airport - probably straight from the studio without breakfast."

"Or dinner, I'd wager." JinHwan added with a sigh.

"He should eat but…"

"You go and get him something, Jiwon-a." JinHwan spoke firmly, taking charge. "Get him some light food while he's resting. I can stay here with him and Yun - you should make sure the others are all settled in their rooms."

"Hyung, I can stay-"

"Ji." JinHwan scolded lightly. "I know you want to be with him but I can't go, I'm an Omega, and YunHyeong has a role as Pack Alpha. I can watch Binnie just fine for half an hour."

"I…"

"I know." JinHwan's voice softened. "And he knows. If he wakes up and you’re not back, he'll understand."

"He asked me to keep him company while he slept… I can't leave him again."

"Jiwon, you're literally going on a food run. Stop being so dramatic."

Hanbin nearly snorted, JinHwan was definitely right about the Alpha's dramatics and food sounded amazing right about then, even as his eyes tried to glue themselves shut with sleep. Hanbin listened to their continued bickering with half an ear for a while longer, dozing and enjoying the swirl of familiar scents in the air. He was slowly tipped back into awareness by gentle lips pressed to his forehead before Jiwon whispered to him warmly.

"I'll be right back, baby, get some rest."

Another soft kiss was pressed against his skin and Hanbin couldn't help but chase the retreating lips, even in his half-asleep state. Jiwon chuckled at his neediness and soon a large palm was cupping Hanbin's cheek as a thumb carefully brushed under one closed eye. Sighing into the contact, Hanbin felt himself go completely boneless once again and Jiwon finally pulled away.

"We'll have plenty of time to cuddle when I get back, Bin-a."

Soft footsteps echoed across the room and the door opened and closed softly. Hanbin shuffled a little on the bed to get comfortable as he waited for his alpha to return; having completely forgotten about the two others in the room until YunHyeong spoke.

"I'll umm… I'll go check on the others. See you later JinHwan."

There was a long pause, in which YunHyeong was definitely not leaving and Hanbin rolled his eyes to himself. What were they doing? Maybe he wasn't the only one that needed sleep.

"Yeah. I'll see you." JinHwan replied finally and the bed wobbled under the sudden added weight.

There was another pause and then the sound of someone leave finally came. Hanbin count slowly to one hundred on his head as he waited until JinHwan got settled on the bed before pouncing. Wrapping his arms around his Hyung's waist, Hanbin huffed softly as the other man began to softly stroke his hair.

"So you  _ were _ listening then?"

"Don't be mean to me Hyung." Hanbin whined, hoping noise came off as cute rather than annoying. "I wanna help, what's wrong?"

JinHwan's scent spiked at Hanbin's question and his hand still for a fraction of time before the older gained control of himself once again. Interesting.

"I'm fine." JinHwan dismissed lightly.

"That's my line, Hyung." Hanbin hummed into JinHwan's lap as he continued to snuggle in sleepily. "Try again."

JinHwan was silent for a long time and Hanbin's lethargy, pair with the shooting sweeping of JinHwan's fingers, soon had him drifting off. He was half convinced the old man wasn't going to answer so it was a pleasant surprise when he tentatively began to talk.

"You feel comfortable in the pack, right?" Hanbin simply hummed in affirmative; waiting for the other to continue. "And Yun, he- he had a lot to do with that, didn't he?"

"Yes…" Hanbin answered slowly. "He stood by me for a long time. Our families are close; we're very close."

"He's a good Alpha, isn't he?"

"Of course he is. He's a good person; everything else comes from there. He's a good Hyung and, yes, a good Alpha. One I'm very glad we have in our pack."

"A traditional Alpha."

"Yes and no." Hanbin paused and considered what JinHwan was saying. "He's strong and powerful but he doesn't want to lead, actually, I'm a little worried about the stress he's under."

"Stress?" The hand in Hanbin's hair stopped and Hanbin decided to sit up and discuss things seriously.

"Yeah, being Pack Alpha… it doesn't really suit him, does it? The disciplinary role. He's always been… a helping hand and a kind word in a crisis; not the unyielding rule keeper."

"I… I haven't noticed. I never thought of that."

"He probably didn't want it noticed, he's an Alpha after all."

Hanbin's words seemed to have the opposite effect to what he desired, instead of lessening the sadness and hurt in JinHwan's voice it made the Omega hunch over and seem even more defeated.

"You noticed."

"I did but only because I recognise the impact of being forced into a role you don't suit with no support."

JinHwan eyed Hanbin critically and opened his mouth before closing it again. Hanbin waited patiently to see what it was exactly that his Hyung wanted to say, JinHwan's gaze lowered to the bedcovers and then slowly returned to Hanbin's face. The sadness still remained but it seemed to shimmer further back in his Hyung's gaze as a new curiosity took over.

"Why did you never look for support? Like sharing your seasonal period with someone or mating even?"

"Who would I have mated with back then?" Hanbin scoffed. "Besides, I didn't even know you guys knew about a Beta's season."

"Well I didn't until recently but Junhoe has really found a passion for Beta rights and physiology… seasons were a  _ particularly _ awkward lesson we all had to sit through."

"Junhoe's been given lessons?"

"Yeah." JinHwan scratched the back of his neck in discomfort. "When you were out he'd drag us all to the living and make sure we were… educated."

"I didn't see that coming." Hanbin mumbled to himself, flushing just as hard as JinHwan was at the delicate conversation topic. "He really got serious, huh? A Beta season isn't widely talked about."

"You could have told us… two weeks in discomfort. We could have helped."

"I know, but at the time I didn't want help."

That wasn't the half of it but Hanbin had had enough revelations for one day, the 'why' didn't matter. Leaving his statement deliberately vague to keep everyone happy was the easiest thing to do.

"Would you… would you want one of our Alpha's to help with your season now? With how different everything is."

"I… I think I would. Maybe I can finally experiment a little." Hanbin went back to lightly joking, he wasn't particularly comfortable talking about his sex life with JinHwan but of the older Omega needed to talk, then Hanbin would talk.

"Oh… yeah, I'm sure the Alpha's would be happy to help. Is there… is there one in particular?"

"Yes." Hanbin couldn't lie, it was pretty obvious anyway.

"Oh…" JinHwan repeated again quietly. "Is… is it YunHyeong?"

"No, although YunHyeong Hyung is a wonderful Alpha, it's Jiwon Hyung I'm courting." Hanbin replied, warmth diffusing his cheeks at the quiet confession.

"Congratulations." JinHwan smiled warmly at him but it didn't reach his eyes entirely.

Something was off about the older man's scent and it was growing thicker and thicker by the second, something Hanbin had smelt countless times before and knew full well what it was but he still refused to accept it. It didn't make sense, not with JinHwan; not his Hyung.

"What's wrong, Hyung?"

"Nothing. I'm happy for you, you deserve it so much I'm just… it's just…"

"Are you... jealous?" Hanbin finally gave voice to the bitter scent swirling around in the room. "Are you jealous of Jiwon?"

"What? No! Of course not!" JinHwan quickly denied, his sharp gaze snapping to Hanbin's in his plea to make the Beta understand. "Anyone with eyes can see he's your Alpha and yours alone; only someone delusional would keep pining over him."

"So you're jealous of..?"

"Don't be unfair, Hanbin-a." JinHwan all but whined.

"I really don't understand."

"YunHyeong! Okay." JinHwan stood from the forcefully as he finally exploded; marching away and bracing himself against the window before continuing in barely a whisper. "It's YunHyeong."

"Why are you jealous of YunHyeong?"

"Because you can give him something I can't."

"But I have Jiwon." Hanbin was perplexed, hadn't he just said that?

"I don't know Hanbin," JinHwan replied, exasperated, and whipped are to face Hanbin from across the room. "I don't know much about Betas besides what Junhoe found online, all my own fault I know, but how am I supposed to know if you want to pair up singularly or have a larger mating group. Just because you don't want to share a season doesn't mean something isn't there. You and Yun have always…"

"Always what?"

"Always been close. Very close. Closer than… I don't know. I can't  _ think _ when it comes to him."

Hanbin cracked a smile at his Hyung words, now  _ that _ was a feeling he knew very well indeed. Suddenly of all the tension and long-held gazed made sense, Hanbin felt giddy with the realisation but also with relief that JinHwan wasn't jealous over Jiwon, which would have been difficult.

"Come and sit, Hyung." Hanbin patted the bed beside him and watched JinHwan expectantly. "Come on."

JinHwan lingered by the window for a few moments more before finally shuffling over and returning to the bed. Hanbin wrapped his arms back around the Omega and hooked his chin on the older man's shoulder. The other sighed at the gesture but leaned into Hanbin's embrace anyway.

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be jealous of you, and definitely not angry… it's not like I can expect you to know how I'm feeling all the time."

"No, you can't." Hanbin hummed in agreement. "And you can't expect YunHyeong to either."

"I-"

"Don't deny it. You care for him." JinHwan stayed silent but nodded slowly. "And he cares for you."

"Hanbin, what-?"

"Trust me, I notice things remember? You should talk to him."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because what I want… I can't give him what he needs; what he deserves."

"And what's that Hyung?" Hanbin's tired brain struggled to make sense of the vague and mysterious words, making him frown in concentration.

"I want-  I want to court him. I want to have a bond deeper than just being packmate's and having sex… I just  _ want _ him."

"So why don't you?"

"I've never gone into heat during his rut… we're not compatible as mates. I couldn't force him into something like that." 

"Biology isn't everything. There are lots of reasons your heat might not have been triggered. Stress from the job, stress from the pack, or maybe YunHyeong feels the same as you and doesn't want to force you."

"He wouldn't be interested in me."

"Why not, Hyung?" Hanbin leaned forward to try and get a good view of the others face as he spoke. "You've had countless propositions through the years, anyone would be lucky to have you."

"You've… you've heard the rumours about me, right? About my… preferences in bed…"

"Don't be coy, Hyung, I've slept with you before." Hanbin laughed and he could feel the heat from JinHwan's face on his temple. "Just because you liked it one way with me… I didn't assume any further."

 "Well, you could've… I only like… so yeah."

"So?"

"An Alpha can't be expected to be okay with that. It's different with a Beta or even another Omega but with an Alpha… What would other people say? I can't let something like that hurt his reputation."

"But you have had sex before, haven't you?"

"We… we never tried any penetration. Other stuff was just fine."

"So why not do that?"

"Because I want to do it and what if Yun wants to do it? He's such as strong Alpha; his presence is-" JinHwan cut himself off with a shiver. "I can't give him that… I just..."

"He might want to-"

"Bin!" JinHwan complained, clearly not expecting Hanbin offhand agreement.

" _ But _ ! He might be okay with your way too."

"Don't be obtuse, Hanbin. No Alpha would be okay with that, it's in their nature."

"JinHwan Hyung, if you think Jiyong Hyung just lies back and lets Youngbae Hyung take control about  _ anything _ , then you're seriously delusional."

"But that's  _ them _ . Youngbae Hyung is-"

"Laid back? Patient? Caring? Thoughtful? Sounds like someone else, don't you think?"

JinHwan's mouth opened and shut a few times as he tried to think of an adequate response. Finally, the older man turned away with a grumble and Hanbin beamed, knowing he had won.


End file.
